In a New York Minute
by Babefan2019
Summary: Ranger lives in two separate worlds - that as the head of a highly successful security company and the shadowy world of a mercenary for hire. What happens when his two worlds unexpectedly collide? Everything Steph thinks she knows about Ranger will change in a New York minute. Rated M because these are adults who act like adults. Spoilers for anything through 25 possible. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

On a normal day, I dress for work in a girlie t-shirt and jeans. I accessorize with CAT boots and a bag big enough to hold my cuffs, pepper spray and on the rare occasion it leaves my cookie jar, a Smith and Wesson snub nosed .38. My hair care regime consists of trying to tame my out of control curls in a ponytail and make-up involves multiple coats of mascara and some lip gloss. A normal work day might involve a greased up, naked man, rolling in garbage or a burning car. Some days might involve all three.

My name is Stephanie Plum, and I am a fugitive apprehension agent in Trenton, New Jersey. When someone is arrested and doesn't want to hang out in a jail cell until their case goes to trial, my cousin Vinnie posts a bond to cover the bail set by the court. When the accused returns for their trial, Vinnie gets his bond money back from the court. If the accused fails to appear, the court keeps Vinnie's money. My job is to bring those wayward souls back into the judicial system when they fail to appear in court at their appointed time. Convincing someone to accompany me to the police station can be challenging, since most people really don't forget their court date. This reluctance to return to the system is what leads to the garbage and burning cars.

I also moonlight for Rangeman Security when I'm short on cash or when the owner of Rangeman needs me to use my feminine wiles to distract an FTA so they can be apprehended more safely.

Today is not a normal work day. Today I'm working for Rangeman in New York City and I've traded in my t-shirt and jeans for a designer gown of deep blue silk. The draped, halter style bodice accentuated my 36B bust without being overtly sexual. That privilege was saved for the back of the dress. Or rather, the lack of a back to the dress. Miles of bare skin ended at the skirt that started millimeters above the top of my butt crack, making it incredibly obvious that I was wearing nothing under the gown. My CAT boots have been replaced by a pair of Manolo Blanik strappy heels. All told, my outfit cost more than my last two cars combined.

Such a magnificent outfit must have more than a ponytail and lip gloss, so I had spent the day being pampered and fussed over by trained professionals. The magicians at the upscale salon on 5th Avenue had tamed my frizzy brown hair into auburn waves that cascaded down around my shoulders and applied my make-up in a way that was understated but would draw attention to my blue eyes and made my mouth look like it was begging to be kissed. I kept telling myself the sapphire and diamond chandelier earrings and matching bracelet had to be fakes, but I couldn't be sure.

I took one last look in the mirror to make sure the wire taped under my breast was not noticeable through the clinging silk and then made my way out of my bedroom and into the sitting room of the suite we had taken at the Plaza Hotel.

As I walked in, five sets of eyes fell on me and all conversation stopped. I gave a little smile and a finger wave, wondering what was going on. Tank was the first to speak. "You clean up nice, Steph."

This made me laugh and seemed to snap the rest of the team out of their stupor. I did a little model twirl and heard someone mutter "Damn" before Tank brought the attention back to what he had been saying when I walked in.

"Okay, listen up. Steph, your wire is transmit only, so everyone will be able to hear what you're saying, but you won't be able to hear us. Lester and Vince will be working as waiters and will be circulating close by. Bobby will be a guest and will be there if you need an extraction. If it starts to feel hinky, give him a signal and Bobby will come over and ask you to dance. That will be your escape route. I want you to lure this guy out into the lobby and over near the elevator bank. Hal and I will be waiting at the elevators to take him into custody and escort him out of the hotel and to the police station. Once we grab him, you can head back up to the room."

"Remember, this guy is dangerous. He's accused of kidnapping and rape. We believe he used GHB to drug several women and then 'helped' them when they fell ill. Be sure not to drink anything he offers you. Any questions?"

I shook my head and picked up the folder with the information on the FTA. Marcel Chagall was rich, handsome and, by all accounts, quite charming. His family owned an international chain of hotels and he and his twin sister were busy playing at being among the spoiled rich.

His picture showed a strikingly handsome man with dark blonde hair and ice blue eyes. The chiseled cheekbones and strong jaw were softened by a lush, sensual mouth. If he were just trying to pick up a woman for consensual sex, I'm sure he would have no problem doing so.

According to the arrest report, Marcel was accused of drugging a woman and taking her to a seedy hotel room that had been set up as a filming location. The woman was then forced to perform sex acts with multiple partners while the entire assault was recorded. Once Marcel was done with her, the woman was dropped off near her home with no memory of what had been done to her. Marcel had been caught when he uploaded the video to a community porn site and the woman was recognized. It was believed that he had done this multiple times, but so far nothing could be proven.

Because of his wealth and international connections, bail had been set at 5 million dollars. Rangeman's standard fee was fifteen percent of the bond, and my cut was ten percent of the recovery fee. With three quarters of a million dollars at stake, investing three thousand dollars in a distraction outfit was chump change.

The $75,000 I would earn was going to enable me to finally make some long overdue changes in my life. I would be able to move into a nicer, more secure apartment and still have a good nest egg until I figured out what I wanted to do. I did okay as a bounty hunter, but it wasn't a long term career. I just wasn't sure what kind of long term career I might want, but the money would allow me time to explore some ideas.

I was still a little nervous about this job. This was the first time I had done a job for Rangeman without the boss man himself being there. Ricardo Carlos Manoso, aka Ranger, was the managing partner of Rangeman but he was also my mentor and friend. We have also been lovers on occasion, but Ranger's life doesn't lend itself to relationships and mine doesn't lend itself to casual sex, so we remain at an impasse. Ranger had left on a mission three months ago and left Tank in charge of Rangeman.

Whenever Ranger went into the wind, I watched the news to see if I could figure out where he might be. I watched for governments being overthrown or drug cartels being taken down but I could never be sure if it was him. His missions were classified, and if he told me he would have to kill me. I'm pretty sure he likes me alive, so I don't ask too many questions.

The intel we had on Marcel said he would be at the thousand dollar a plate charity dinner this evening in the ballroom of our hotel. His twin sister was a patron of the charity and also attending the gala. The plan was for me to make contact with him at the pre-dinner cocktail reception and have him cuffed and stuffed before dinner was announced.

Lester and Vince left early to make their way down to the kitchen and join the staff. A few minutes before we were scheduled to leave Bobby walked out of the other bedroom wearing what had to be a custom made tuxedo.

"Wow!" was all I could say. Bobby cleaned up pretty well, too.

The four of us rode down in the elevator together. When we got to the floor where the ballroom was located, Bobby and I stepped off the elevator and made our way towards the entrance. I handed the butler my ticket and made my way towards the bar. I saw Lester nod towards a group of men off to my left and slowly started making my way closer.

Marcel was holding a champagne flute in one hand and had his other hand tucked casually in his pocket. As I approached, I pretended to trip and fall into the side away from his drink. He dropped his glass in an effort to catch me while the others around him sprang back away from us.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry!" I gasped, still clinging to his arm. "Are you okay? Please, let me get you another drink."

With that, I let go of his arm and turned to give him a look at the back side of my dress. I grabbed two champagne flutes from Vince's tray and turned to hand one to Marcel.

"It's quite alright. And I don't mind having a beautiful woman fall into my arms." he said as I handed him the glass. I managed to suppress my shudder as he placed a hand on my bare lower back and guided me away from the mess on the floor that was already being attended to by the hotel staff.

Once we had moved off to the side I reached out my hand. "Please allow me to properly introduce myself. I'm Stace."

He took my proffered hand and raised it to his lips. "It is a pleasure to meet you Stace. I am Marcel, but please call me Marc."

"I apologize for so rudely interrupting your conversation earlier. I'm sure you want to get back to your friends." I said, taking a dainty sip of my champagne and looking up at him through my lashes.

"Not at all my dear, but I imagine someone must be wondering where you could be," he responded.

"Actually, I was supposed to be here with my soon to be ex-husband, but that was before I caught him getting a little too personal with his personal assistant. I hope he and Geoffrey are very happy together, but, I must admit, my ego took a bit of a thrashing from that little incident. I decided to give my self-esteem a boost by getting all dolled up and coming out on my own to see what kind of mischief I could get into."

He smiled at that and said, "Your soon to be ex-husband's loss is my gain then. I love getting into mischief with a beautiful woman."

He reached for my glass saying, "Let me freshen that for you. I'll be right back." and headed toward Lester as he was passing by with a tray of drinks.

Marc returned a moment later and handed me the fresh drink. He raised his glass to clink it with mine and said with an engaging grin "To mischief" before taking a small sip. I raised the glass to my lips and pretended to take a sip, remembering Tank's warning.

His eyes shifted from mine to look over my shoulder and his face broke into an even bigger grin. "I see my sister has arrived with her flavor of the month."

I turned to see a gorgeous blonde walking towards us. The front of her gold lame gown barely covered her considerable chest with a neckline that plunged down past her bejeweled belly button. As she moved towards us, one long, shapely leg appeared through the slit in her skirt that went all the way up to her hip bone. It was obvious she wasn't wearing anything under her dress, either.

She was so incredibly stunning it took me a moment to register the man accompanying her across the room. He was dressed in a custom made Armani tuxedo that hugged his body like a second skin. His black silken hair was pulled back at the nape of his neck and diamond studs twinkled in each ear. My blue eyes locked with his chocolate brown eyes and I muttered, "It appears this month's flavor is mocha latte."

I supposed I always assumed Ranger kept every woman at arm's length the way he did with me. I never thought about him being involved with someone else, but why would he be waiting for me while I was with Morelli. I also assumed that going in the wind meant going into the jungle or the desert like Rambo. Maybe it just meant he went into the city to be Bruce Wayne.

As these thoughts flashed through my mind, I felt like I had been sucker punched. I raised my glass and took a very unladylike gulp of my champagne then immediately realized what I had done. I knew the guys wouldn't let me be kidnapped, but if this takedown was to go as planned I had to act fast to get Marc out to the room in case he had drugged my drink.

The blonde woman let go of Ranger's arm and stepped forward to kiss her brother full on the lips. Ewww. Glancing back over her shoulder she said, "Rafe darling, be a doll and fetch us some champagne."

Without a word, Ranger walked to where Lester was standing with his tray of drinks. The blonde stared after him for a moment before turning back to me and saying "He isn't much of a talker, but the sex is amazing, so who cares. I'm Chantelle, by the way, and you are stunning."

Marc chuckled. "Stace, this not so subtle creature is my sister, Chantelle. Chan, this is Stace."

Since the blonde had called him Rafe, I assumed Ranger was undercover so I didn't acknowledge him when he returned with their drinks. Chantelle accepted the drink with a smile and turned to scan the room. I knew I needed to act fast to get Marc out of the room so I leaned into him, brushing my breast against his arm. "This champagne is going straight to my head. I think I need to step out and get some fresh air. Care to take a walk with me?"

I could feel Ranger's eyes on me but I was speaking too quietly for him to hear what I was saying. I trusted that he would not break his cover and let the events play out, even if he didn't know what was going on. He could see Bobby hovering a short distance behind Marc, and Les and Vince between us and both possible exits, so he would know they were there to protect me. For tonight, he was just another bystander and I knew that probably wasn't sitting well with him.

Marc said to his sister, "We're going to step out for a few moments. I'll see you later, darling." He graciously offered me his arm and we made our way back towards to lobby.

"I have a room here at the hotel. Would you mind if we went up there first so I could grab my wrap?" I asked, moving us toward the elevators. I could feel myself getting drowsy and now knew for sure I had been drugged.

I was leaning more heavily on his arm and Marc looked at me with a knowing smile. "Of course. I couldn't let a beautiful woman wander through the hotel unescorted."

Marc pressed the button for the elevator and the doors opened to reveal a massive man dressed in black with a murderous look on his face. Tank reached out and grabbed Marc by the front of his shirt and pulled him into the elevator. Hal came up from behind us and stepped into the elevator with Tank and Marc. As the doors closed, Bobby walked up behind me and put an arm around me as I started to collapse.

"Come on, Steph. We need to get you to the hospital and have your stomach pumped." I tried to walk out on my own but Bobby swept me up and carried me out through the lobby. As I was losing consciousness, I felt a familiar tingle on the back of my neck as then nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you Elenimou32 and JB (Guest) for giving my brain food for thought on this chapter. And thank you for all who left such positive and encouraging comments. I honestly thought it would take longer to get the second chapter out, but you know how it is when the story demands to be told. Who am I to argue? Please review and let me know what you think!

Chapter 2

As consciousness slowly returned, I registered a couple things at once. From the antiseptic smell, I knew I was in the hospital. And, there was someone sitting beside my bed with a hand on my wrist at my pulse point. As I struggled to open my eyes, I also realized I had the worst hangover of my life. My McDonald's french fries and icy Coke were going to need some help this time.

I decided it was better to keep my eyes closed and asked the person beside me, "Where am I?"

I don't know what I was expecting, but I felt a flash of disappointment when Bobby's voice responded, "Lenox Hill Hospital." I knew Ranger was in the wind and wasn't going to turn up beside my bed but still, I couldn't help my initial reaction. I knew I was in good hands and the guys would take care of me.

"Did we get the asshole?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah, Steph. You did an amazing job. As soon as I saw you take that drink I was headed in to extract you, but Tank told me to hold off and just keep an eye on you. He said to trust you and you would get the job done."

I gave a weak smile at that. It was nice to know Tank had that kind of faith in me. "So when can I get out of here?"

Bobby must have known that was coming because he said, "I've already rung for the nurse. Your stomach was pumped last night and they wanted you to stay overnight for observation. The doctor said once you were awake you could go home, as long as there was someone to stay with you for today."

The nurse came in with some Tylenol for my headache and discharge instructions. Someone had packed up my things from my hotel room and I slipped on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt for the ride home. Bobby brought in the wheelchair and gave me a lift out to the waiting SUV. Tank and Hal had headed back to Trenton after turning Marc over to the authorities and making sure I was going to be alright. Lester and Vince had decided to stay and wait for Bobby and me so we could all ride back together. I sat in the back with Bobby while Vince drove and Les rode shotgun. Bobby pulled me to the middle of the seat so I could snuggle against him and doze on the way home.

I woke up as we were leaving the Turnpike and entering Trenton. The Tylenol had helped with my headache but now I was starving. I hadn't eaten dinner last night and was nauseous when I woke up this morning but now my stomach was demanding some attention. Bobby must have heard my stomach rumbling because he told Vince to stop at the next McDonald's he saw. Before long, I was inhaling a Big Mac and a large fry and starting to feel human again.

We pulled into my parking lot just as I was licking the last bit of greasy, salty goodness from my fingers. I was still feeling a little weak and tired, but there seemed to be no lasting effects from last night. Blood tests had confirmed that I had be slipped GHB, a common "date rape" drug. Aside from the hangover, I would be fine but it was frightening to have absolutely no memory of what happened between the time Bobby carried me out of the hotel and when I woke up in the hospital.

Bobby walked me up to my apartment and made me wait outside while he did the required sweep for psychos, stalkers and killer dust bunnies. Once I got the all clear, I walked in and dropped on the couch like a marionette who lost her strings. Bobby offered to put a movie in and we got comfortable and settled in for a Die Hard marathon. It always amazes me when I watch all five movies. This series was made over twenty-five years, but aside from Bruce Willis losing his hair, the characters don't really age.

I dozed off at some point and when I woke up, Bobby was gone and Joe was sitting on the end of the couch watching a baseball game. There was an open beer and a Pino's pizza box sitting on my coffee table so I assumed Joe had stopped by for dinner. My stomach let out a loud rumble at the smell of the pizza. I sat up and helped myself to a napkin and a slice of pizza while Joe continued to stare at the television. I could tell by the way his jaw was clenched that he was trying to get a handle on his temper, so I decided to eat my pizza and wait him out.

Our on again/off again relationship had been in a comfortable 'on' stage for the last few months. If I were being completely honest with myself, I would have to admit that we had settled into a bit of a rut. We got together several times a week for take-out, television and sex. We hadn't been arguing much at all, mostly because the cause of a lot of our arguments had been in the wind for the last three months. The rest of our arguments were almost all about my job, but things had been going fairly well with bounty hunting lately. In fact, I hadn't rolled in garbage in several weeks and, through no fault of my own, I had only sent one car to car heaven.

Because of this, I wanted to maintain the peace as long as I could so I kept munching on my pizza. Joe stood up and walked into the kitchen. I heard the refrigerator open and close before Joe came back with two more beers. He set one down in front of me and took a swig off the one in his hand.

"Want to tell me what happened last night?" he asked, still looking at the television rather than at me.

I contemplated his question as I continued to chew. Truthfully, the answer to his question was "no", but I don't think that was the answer he was looking for. I swallowed my pizza and took a fortifying sip of my beer. I knew the calm was over and the storm was about to begin.

"I helped Rangeman out with a distraction. The guy had skipped on a five million dollar bond and we were able to bring him in without anyone getting hurt," I said with a note of pride.

"No one got hurt?" he asked, still focused on the game. "Then why did I find Bobby sitting on your couch babysitting my unconscious girlfriend who was recovering from a date rape drug hangover after having her stomach pumped and spending the night in the hospital?"

Well, when he put it like that, it sounded a lot worse than it was. "I meant no innocent bystanders were hurt. And I'm fine."

He finally turned to me with a look of disbelief on his face. "How can you say you're fine? You were given GHB by a man accused of kidnapping and rape. How could Ranger put you in such a risky situation? Anything could have happened."

"Ranger didn't ask me to do the job, Tank did. Ranger has been in the wind for the last three months. He didn't know about this job." Joe's face registered surprise at this bit of information. I guess he didn't know Ranger was gone. "And it was my own fault I was drugged. I knew this guy was suspected of drugging women's drinks and Tank told me not to drink anything he gave me. But when I saw Ranger walk in with this gorgeous woman on his arm, I just reacted and took the drink without thinking." As the words were coming out of my mouth some small part of my brain was screaming at me to shut up, but it was too late.

Joe sank back into the couch with a scowl on his face. "I guess that explains a lot." He looked over at me and continued, "Now I understand why we have been getting along so well lately. Ranger hasn't been around to distract you. Of course, I love to hear that my girlfriend," he said the word with a sneer, "was so jealous seeing Ranger with another woman, she forgot that she had volunteered as bait for a rapist and chugged her roofies willingly."

I'm not sure if it was the tone of his voice or the fact that he had pretty much hit the nail on the head with that last statement, but I was pissed. "You know what, Joe? You can take your insecurities and sarcasm and get the hell out. I knew as soon as I took that drink last night that I had screwed up, but I kept my head in the game and was able to finish the job."

I had been around the guys at Rangeman enough to know that jobs could go south for any number of reasons. The key was to stay focused on completing the mission and learn from what went wrong. I wasn't looking forward to the after action meeting with Tank, but I wasn't going to sit here and take crap from Joe about it.

"Fine, Cupcake. Head back to the Land of Denial if you want. But you and I both know what I said is the truth." With that, he grabbed the pizza box and went out through the door.

For the first time since everything went down, I was finally alone with my thoughts. My first thought was damn, he took the pizza. Probably not what my first thought should have been, but I was hungry. I got up and went to check my refrigerator to see if the food fairies had been by. Finding nothing more than a couple of dehydrated looking carrot chunks and some moldy cheese, I pulled out my trusty jar of peanut butter. Since I didn't have any bread to put it on, I grabbed a spoon and dug in.

Rex heard me slamming around and poked his head out of his soup can to see what all the fuss was about. I dropped the dehydrated carrot chunks in his bowl and started to explain. "Joe has this stupid idea that I was jealous when Ranger walked in the room with another woman. How stupid is that? I would have to be involved with Ranger to be jealous. Besides, I have a boyfriend, sort of. So why would I be jealous? Ranger can be with whomever he wants. Obviously he doesn't want me, but who cares? I don't."

I stopped my rant long enough to lick some more peanut butter off the spoon and let Rex weigh in with his thoughts. Apparently he agreed with everything I had said, because he tucked the carrots into his cheek pouch and headed back into his soup can.

"Good talk." I mumbled around a mouth full of peanut butter. I grabbed another beer out of the fridge and headed back to the couch. I was no longer hungover from the drugs and I wanted to take some time to think about everything that had happened last night. The first thing I wanted to do is find out more about Chantelle Chagall. I didn't have the invasive search programs Rangeman had, but you'd be amazed what you can learn about someone by typing their name into any standard search engine, especially if they are rich and beautiful.

Looking through the articles and pictures that came up, I understood what Marcel had meant by Chantelle's 'flavor of the month.' She was always on the arm of a handsome man, but rarely the same one twice. Maybe I was biased but, although all of the men were good looking, none could compare to Ranger. When she called him Rafe, my first thought was that he must be undercover. Her comment about the amazing sex made it obvious he was definitely under her covers. And from firsthand experience, I know how amazing that man is under the covers, and on top of the covers, and in the shower, and….oh bloody hell. I couldn't let myself go there.

Of course, if Ranger was undercover, I had no way of knowing who his target was. Maybe he had been after Marcel as well. Ranger went into the wind a little over three months ago. He wouldn't have known Rangeman had been hired by the insurance company covering Marcel's bond to bring Marcel back into the system. Tank wouldn't have known Ranger's mission was related to the Chagalls when he accepted the job on behalf of Rangeman.

The alternative was that Ranger had returned from his mission and was blowing off some steam with a gorgeous socialite known for her voracious sexual appetite. Rafe could be a pet name. Just because her brother was a kidnapper and a rapist didn't make her a bad person. Yeah right, I thought.

I was driving myself crazy thinking about Ranger being with another woman with no good reason to be jealous. Ranger's life did not lend itself to relationships, so I was with Joe. As that thought crossed my mind I wondered how much truth there was to that statement. Was I settling for Joe because I couldn't have Ranger? What if Ranger's life suddenly did lend itself to relationships? Would I still be with Joe? What did that say about me?

"Ugh!" I yelled and shut the laptop with a sigh. I had had enough self-reflection/torture for one night. I knew I had to go see Tank tomorrow and face his wrath for nearly screwing up the distraction. I wasn't sure if Tank had the authority to ship me off to a third world country, but I figured I would find out tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Thank you to all who left reviews. Each is read and appreciated.

Some of you were a little disgusted with Ranger for sleeping with the enemy, while others asked some thought provoking questions. Please keep the comments coming. This story is a complete work in progress and your comments help kick start me when my brain stalls.

Chapter 3

I fobbed my way into the parking garage at Rangeman five minutes before my scheduled 10 o'clock meeting with Tank. I had spent a restless night tossing and turning. When I did finally fall asleep, my dreams were of Ranger and other women. I had to scramble to get ready when I slept through my alarm but I was relieved to see I would still be on time.

I stepped on to the elevator and gave the camera a little finger wave as I pushed five. Stepping off the elevator, I headed straight for Tank's office rather than stopping to chat with the guys on duty. I knew I was probably in for a bit of a dressing down and didn't want to add tardiness to my list of sins.

Tank's door was open so I rapped once against the door frame and waited for him to bark, "Enter." Tank told me to shut the door and indicated that I should take a seat in one of the chairs positioned in front of his desk.

When I first met Tank, I was intimidated by both his size and his silence. Tank made Ranger look like a chatterbox. What I learned as I got to know him was that Tank only spoke when he had something he felt needed to be said. But when Tank had something to say, it was worth listening to.

Before he could say anything, I blurted out "I know I screwed up and I'm sorry. You told me not to drink anything but when I saw them together I just reacted. I don't even know what happened. It just took me by surprise to see Ranger when I thought he was out of the country."

Tank sat there for a moment before asking, "Do you know why we employ mostly former military personnel at Rangeman?"

"Um, no, not really. I just assumed it was because you all knew each other."

"No Steph. It's because we know that each one of these guys knows how to follow orders, regardless of what is happening around them. The military has taught us how to remain focused on the mission when the shit hits the fan. I can trust each and every man on my team to do exactly what I expect them to do."

Listening to Tank's explanation made me sink a little lower in my chair. Tank noticed and continued, "I don't expect the same from you because you have never received the same training. What I do expect is that you will do your damndest and do everything in your power to make the mission successful. That is exactly what you did last night. End of discussion."

I felt better after hearing Tank's perspective on the mission and vowed to myself to work on improving my focus. Tank asked if I was available to work surveillance with Lester that evening. Rangeman would be shorthanded for a few days while several of the guys helped out with a big security detail in Miami. Surveillance was boring, but it was less boring with Lester. When I first met Les on a 'redecorating' job, he said I didn't know how to have fun because I didn't like to get shot and I didn't like to be arrested. I'm pretty sure he has changed his opinion of me since then, and we have become good friends.

I stopped to chat with a few of the guys on the way out before heading back down to the garage and my latest POS car. I hadn't been by the bonds office in a couple of days and knew Connie must have some files for me by now. It was nearing lunch time, so I stopped by Cluck 'n a Bucket for a bucket of extra crispy and a dozen biscuits. Lula was sitting on the couch flipping through a magazine and Connie was at her desk applying a coat of fire engine red polish to her nails.

"Perfect timing, I was just thinking I could use some food." Lula said dropping her magazine on the table beside her and reaching for the bucket. We each grabbed some greasy chicken and a handful of napkins and started catching up while we ate. I told them about my day in New York with the spa, the designer dress and the take down. I left out the part about Ranger, getting drugged and spending the night in the hospital.

"I've heard about those two." Connie said. "Marcel Chagall was busted because he got stupid. Rumor has it that his sister is the brains of the operation and he is just along for the ride. They stepped on some toes in the Family when they picked up some working girls for a little party they were throwing. Seems the girls weren't returned in any shape to work. Their business manager was connected so, when reparations were demanded, he had the clout to back it up."

"That's horrible! What about the poor women that were hurt?" I asked, losing my appetite at Connie's words.

Lula snorted, "Ain't nobody care about the girls unless they can't earn money. They were lucky they even made it back. Not all of them do."

"Why would Chantelle Chagall be involved in something like that? Her family has more money than they could possibly spend in a lifetime. Why risk it?"

Connie just shook her head. "Bored rich kids? Kicks? Who knows? Maybe she's just a psychopath. From the story I heard from my uncle, the working girls were there to amuse a bunch of foreign men who were in town to pick up some merchandise. Uncle Vito says there've been whispers of a new white slavery ring in the New York/New Jersey area that caters to an exclusive foreign clientele."

I wondered if that had anything to do with why Ranger went into the wind. That would mean he really was still working and not just on a date when I saw him at the Plaza. I recognized that I was being a complete hypocrite considering Morelli and I had been together almost the whole time I had known Ranger, but I couldn't help how I felt. Thinking of him with another woman was like a stab to the heart. Did Ranger feel anything when he saw me with Morelli? I didn't want to consider that question, so I focused back on what Connie was saying.

"Anyway, it's all rumor and supposition but it's believed to have some truth behind it. You're lucky you didn't end up on a flight bound for Saudi Arabia, Steph."

Connie didn't know how close I had come. If it wasn't for my back-up, I very well could have ended up drugged and kidnapped.

We cleaned up the mess from lunch and I took three files from Connie. Two low bond first time offenders and a medium bond domestic violence. Les was picking me up at 4:00 o'clock so that didn't leave me enough time to do anything with the wife beater. If I could get one of the first timers to come quietly, I'd have time to make the drop at the station before heading home and to get ready. I would also need to stop at the convenience store to stock my standard surveillance survival kit of water, Tastykakes and candy bars.

Martin Young lived two streets over from Morelli in a working class neighborhood. He was unmarried and lived alone in a two story, semi-detached with a postage stamp front yard that needed tending. Martin had been out with teammates celebrating their victory over a rival softball team when the other team had showed up to drown their sorrows at the same bar. One thing led to another and words were exchanged. Both teams were told to take it outside where things became even more heated. The encounter came to a head when Martin grabbed a softball bat from the back of his car and smashed the windshield of a rival. The police broke it up before it became a full blown riot, and Martin was arrested for destruction of private property.

Unfortunately for Martin, the rival who owned the smashed windshield was also his boss so Martin was now unemployed. Luckily for me, that meant he was probably sitting at home wondering what he was going to do now. I parked a half a block up from his house and moved my handcuffs and pepper spray from my purse to my pocket as I made my way to his front door. I knocked on the door and heard movement from inside the house. I stood just to the side of the door and pasted a big, friendly 'I'm not here to take you back to jail' smile on my face and waited for him to open the door.

"Can I help you?" he asked as he opened the door.

"Hi, I'm Stephanie and I represent Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. You missed your court date and I'm here to help you through the rescheduling process." He started to back into the house but I already had my foot wedged against the door to keep it from closing.

"I can't go to jail. I'll never be able to get another job if I have a criminal record."

"Mr. Young, right now you are a felon and a fugitive from justice. If you come with me and get rebooked, you can probably expect nothing more than restitution and possibly community service. If you remain a fugitive, you'll be a convicted felon and will serve time." Okay, so maybe I was exaggerating a little but he didn't need to know that. I just wanted to get him to the station so I would have time to get my Tastykakes before Les picked me up.

He still looked unsure so I clamped the handcuff on his wrist and made a grab for his other arm. He pulled away from me and started to run through the living room. I did my impersonation of a WWE wrestler and launched myself at his back, bringing him down like a lioness on a gazelle. Well, in my mind, that's how it looked. He fell face first into the sofa and I was able to get the cuff on his other wrist. I pulled him to his feet, grabbed his house keys and locked the door behind us before walking him to my car. The drop off was uneventful and, since I wasn't covered in garbage or any other grossness, there were no smart ass comments as I picked up my body receipt. Not wanting another confrontation with Joe, I made my way quickly back out to my car and pointed it towards home. I stopped at the store on the corner and grabbed a couple bottles of water, a box of Butterscotch Krimpets and three candy bars. Then, remembering who I was partnering with, I grabbed three more candy bars. Les was the only one of Ranger's Merry Men who understood I needed sugar to do surveillance properly and I always made sure I brought along enough to share to show my appreciation.

Lester pulled in to my parking lot just as I came out through the door of my building. I had changed into my most comfortable pair of boyfriend cut jeans and added a fleece over my t-shirt. I also had a blanket in case it got chilly. Lester took my bag of goodies and gave a smile when he saw I had packed enough for two.

Twenty minutes later we were sitting a block down and across from an apartment building watching for Alan Fajardo, an FTA who was wanted on trafficking and distribution charges. His baby mama lived in the apartment building and Alan was thought to be visiting regularly. For the first hour or so we watched as the working class started trickling home after a hard day at work. We talked about nothing in particular until we were caught up with each other's lives and then fell into a comfortable silence. As the silence lengthened, my mind wandered back to Ranger and Chantelle Chagall.

"Hey Les, can I ask you something?" I asked.

"Yes, Steph, I will marry you," he responded with a perfectly serious face.

I laughed and said, "And break the hearts of half the women in Trenton? No way, Santos. I was wondering, did Ranger say anything to you the other night?"

"No, he wouldn't break cover or risk mine by acknowledging me. He's too much of a professional. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious. So you think he was still on his mission? How do you know he wasn't on a date?"

Lester gave a little chuckle, "No, Steph. That wasn't a date. She isn't his type. He prefers brunettes."

I rolled my eyes at Lester's comment. Lester turned to look at me and asked, "What is it you really want to know?"

I bit my lower lip, trying to figure out how to ask my question without sounding like a jealous girlfriend. "Is having sex with a gorgeous woman generally part of the mission?" I blurted out. Okay, that sounded like a jealous girlfriend.

Lester looked back towards the windshield and stared at the building we were supposed to be watching. He seemed to be trying to formulate his response before answering. "Each mission is unique. Sometimes they involve gathering information only, sometimes they involve rescuing someone, and sometimes they involve eliminating someone. But they all have one thing in common, you do whatever it takes to complete the mission successfully."

He paused to give me a moment to absorb what he was saying. "The types of missions Ranger is sent on are the worst of the worst, because he is the best of the best. You know he would do anything to protect you, but you also have to realize the work he's done when he's in the wind has saved countless lives. He puts himself in harm's way for complete strangers who will never know how close they came to pain, suffering and even death." Lester glanced back over at me to see if I was understanding what he was telling me.

"Don't get me wrong, Lester, I appreciate the fact that Ranger has a dangerous job that keeps the rest of us safe. I just pictured him more like Rambo with the camo and machine guns, not James Bond seducing the sexy blonde."

"Steph, he isn't Rambo or Batman or James Bond. He isn't even Ranger. That is just a persona that allows him to be damn good at his job. The other night, he was Rafe. If being a piece of man candy was what was needed for this mission that was the person he became. Tell me, do you think it's okay to use physical violence to obtain information?"

I looked down at my entwined hands as I thought back to Anton Ward. Anton Ward was a member of the Slayer's, a vicious street gang in Trenton. There had been a rash of robberies where the masked man would demand cash and then fire bomb the store. In an unfortunate series of events, Lula had shot out the tire of his get away bicycle just before a masked Ward came running from the convenience store we were about to enter. The bottle for the fire bomb Ward threw into the store didn't break when it hit, so the store owner threw the bottle back out towards the street where it hit my car and exploded. In all the chaos, Ward had lifted his mask and I got a good look at his face. When he came up FTA, I brought him in but earned the much unwanted attention of the Slayers.

A hitman named Junkman was brought in and my name was on his list of targets. In an attempt to find out why I was on the list, I convinced Connie to write the bond on Ward and Lula, Connie and I took him into 'protective custody'. By this, I mean kidnapped him and drove him out to Vinnie's summer house at Point Pleasant. The plan was to beat the information out of him if we had to, but I needed to know why Junkman wanted to kill me. The plan would have been more successful if any of us could actually stomach beating a man tied to a chair. In the end it had been Ranger and a Maglite that had persuaded Ward to talk. Ranger had done what needed to be done in order to keep me safe.

I glanced back up at Lester, wondering if he knew about Ward. Tank and Hal had come out with Ranger that night, but that's not to say Lester hadn't heard the story. When I didn't answer Lester continued. "Okay, let me ask you this. Is it any worse to have sex with someone to get the information than to beat them to a bloody pulp? Would it bother you less if Ranger had used his hand to punch that woman, instead of using it to caress her? On a mission, sex is just another interrogation technique, it's not intimate or personal. It is a means to an end."

"When you do a distraction job, you flirt and come on to the target. But you don't feel anything for them, am I right."

I snorted, "Generally the only thing I'm feeling is revulsion. But it's not like I'm having sex with them."

"Would you have sex with someone to save the life of someone you love? That one is probably easy, most of us would do anything to save someone we loved. But, would you do it to save someone you've never met and who will never know what you did to save them? That's what Ranger is doing. Ranger isn't having sex with Chantelle because he wants to, he's doing what it takes to complete the mission. That's all."

As I mulled over what Lester was saying, I noticed a man moving in the shadows along the side of the apartment building. I pointed and Les grabbed the binoculars to take a better look. "That's our guy."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you for all of your thoughts, comments and suggestions. This is still very much a work in progress and I love it when your suggestions makes my mind go "what if.." Please let me know what you think!

Wishing you all a safe, happy, healthy New Year!

Chapter 4

Lester hit the speed dial button on his cell to call for back-up. The phone was connected to the Bluetooth in the SUV and I could hear the call ringing through.

"Rangeman control room. Hal speaking."

"Hal, this is Les and Steph. We have eyes on Alan Fajardo at the stake-out address. Requesting two man team back-up for the apprehension."

There was a brief pause as Hal checked to see who was available. "Uh, Les, back-up is at least 30 minutes out."

Les sent a look of disbelief at the phone. "What's the hold-up?" he asked.

"Exactly that," Hal replied. "There was a hold-up at one of our larger accounts and Tank and Hector are working that and holding the client's hand." I gave a little chuckle at the visual that statement produced. Hal continued, "I've got Cal and the new guy Henderson finishing up at with a residential account, but they are 30 minutes away. No other units are currently on patrol. I can call in a couple of the on-call guys, but that is still 30 minutes."

Les looked at me as if he was weighing his options. If we waited for back-up we were probably going to lose Fajardo. "Are you carrying?" he asked me.

"Um, I have my pepper spray." I responded. I knew he meant my gun, but I had forgotten to grab that in my hurry to be on time to meet Lester. He reached down and opened the box under the driver's seat. Inside was a holster and a semi-automatic pistol.

He handed both to me and said to Hal, "Tell Cal and Henderson to get here ASAP. Steph and I are going in. I imagine we'll have Fajardo by the time they get here, but in case things go FUBAR, I'll feel better knowing back-up is on the way."

"Roger that. Watch your six." was all Hal said before disconnecting. It made me feel good that Hal and Lester trusted me to be Lester's back-up, but I had one small problem I needed to make him aware of before we headed in.

"Hey Les, my gun is a revolver. I'm not familiar with this weapon." I hated sounding stupid, but I wanted Les to know what an incompetent he was going in with.

He pulled the gun from the holster and held it out for me to see. "This is your safety. Flip that off, point and shoot." He jacked a round into the chamber, flipped the safety back on and handed me the weapon saying, "You're locked and loaded. Be careful."

He grabbed two Kevlar vests out of the back and we suited up before making our way to the front of the apartment building. The building was a four story walk-up with four units on each floor. Thankfully, the girlfriend's apartment was a rear facing unit on the second floor. We didn't have to worry about being spotted as we crossed the street and we only had to go up one flight of stairs. Even though it was only one flight, carrying the additional weight of the vest had me slightly out of breath by the time we reached the landing.

We both drew our weapons and I stood behind and to the side of Les as he rapped on the door and called out "Bond enforcement." This was immediately followed by a well-placed size 13 boot placed just above the door knob that caused the door to fly open. Fajardo was on his feet and already headed to the back window as we came through the door. He started to pull a gun from the back waistband of his pants, but Les was ready and fired first. The shot hit Fajardo in the right shoulder and he spun around, dropping the gun in the process. As Les stepped forward to kick the gun away from Fajardo, Fajardo's girlfriend came charging out of the next room. She was screaming like a banshee and jumped on Les, driving a steak knife into his shoulder.

Acting on instinct, I swung my gun hand and connected solidly with the side of her head. She crumpled in a heap, knocked unconscious. Les handed me a set of cuffs and I put them on Fajardo and then used a second pair to cuff the girlfriend. The baby had started to cry from the other room, so I went in to try to comfort it while Les called 911.

We must have been quite a sight as the EMT's, police and Rangeman back-up all arrived on the scene at the same time. I was standing to the side bouncing the baby on my shoulder while Les sat on the coffee table with a knife sticking out of his shoulder. Fajardo was sitting cuffed on the floor with a bath towel wrapped around his shoulder to keep him from bleeding on the floor. The girlfriend had come to and was sitting cuffed beside him, bitching at him about bringing all this trouble into her house.

Les showed the cops our paperwork and explained what happened. Fajardo and his girlfriend were taken into custody and transported to the hospital for treatment. Child Services arrived just as the ambulance was pulling out, and I was able to turn the now quieted infant over to them so I could go with Lester to the hospital.

Henderson took the SUV Les and I had driven and drove it back to Rangeman while Cal took Les and me to St. Francis. Apparently having a patient with a knife protruding from their body makes some people uncomfortable, so Lester was quickly taken back to a room. Cal was standing quietly with his back to the wall as I flipped angrily through the outdated waiting room magazines. Tank walked in and gave Cal the slightest of nods. Without a word, Cal walked out the door. I guess the nod meant dismissed.

Tank sat down and asked, "How you doing, Steph?"

I turned to give him the 'Burg death glare. "I'm fine. I'm not the one with a knife sticking out of my shoulder, why shouldn't I be fine?"

Obviously big, tough ex-military personnel are unaffected by the death glare, because Tank was still alive. "Are you mad at Lester for getting stabbed?" he asked.

I shook my head, "No, I'm mad at myself."

"Explain." Tank could do the one word sentences as well as Ranger.

"When we spotted Fajardo, Lester immediately called for back-up. No one was available for at least 30 minutes. We were afraid we would lose our chance to bring him in, so we decided to go in rather than wait. Les asked if I was carrying, but I had forgotten to grab my gun. That is the first thing I'm pissed at myself about. Les didn't scold me or get mad, he just handed me the weapon from the lock box under the seat. It was a semi-automatic and I didn't know how to work it. That is the second thing I'm pissed at myself about. Then we strapped on our vests and climbed the stairs to the apartment. It was one lousy flight of stairs and I was out of breath from the weight of the vest. That's the third thing I'm pissed at myself about. Finally, when Xena, warrior princess, jumped on Les and stabbed him, I whacked her in the head with my gun. What kind of idiot uses a gun to whack someone in the head?" Saying it all out loud made me feel even more stupid and incompetent. Now that Tank knew how incompetent I was, he would never ask me to help on another assignment again. I threw the magazine on the coffee table and crossed my arms protectively across my chest. I knew I totally deserved the ass chewing I was about to get.

When nothing was said, I glanced over at Tank. "Okay, little girl, you've identified the problems. Now give me the solutions."

"What do you mean?" I was confused by his calm tone as much as by his question.

"Well, let's take pissed at yourself reason number one. You forgot to grab your gun. Why was that?"

"I was running late and rushing so I wouldn't keep Lester waiting and I forgot to grab it from my cookie jar."

"Okay, now you've identified the problem and the root cause that led to that problem. Now, how do you keep that root cause from occurring again?" Tank was still using a very calm, soothing voice. Instead of feeling incompetent and getting defensive like I did when Joe yelled at me, I felt rational, like I would be able to think through this logically.

"I guess if I keep my gun in my purse instead of my cookie jar, I would always have it when I grab my bag as I head out the door. It wouldn't take an extra step that I might forget if I'm in a hurry."

"Alright, problem number two. You were unfamiliar with the weapon Lester handed you. Why?" he asked, continuing in the same calm tone.

"Because I don't like guns." I instantly replied.

"No, Steph, that is not the reason you were unfamiliar with the weapon Les handed you. You don't have to like guns to be familiar with them. Now focus on the root cause of the problem, not on how you feel about guns. Why were you unfamiliar with the weapon Les handed you?"

"Because I haven't put the effort in to learning to shoot. I guess I can spend more time at the gun range. By doing that, I would become familiar with different weapons, plus I would become more comfortable handling my own gun." I replied, answering what I knew would be his next question on how to solve the root cause of problem number two.

"That's a good idea," was all he said. "Now, number three."

"I was out of breath because I'm out of shape. Problem and root cause. Solution is to start exercising more." I was on to him now. These were all the things that Ranger had told me would make me a better bounty hunter, but I had resisted up until now because I hate being told what to do. But Tank didn't tell me what to do. Tank let me walk through the problem, find the cause and then find the solution all on my own. This man is a freaking genius.

"Okay, you've made your point. Thank you, Tank. But even you can't make me feel less stupid about whacking the girlfriend with my gun."

"What were your options, Steph? You couldn't shoot her without hitting Les. She could have pulled the knife out of Les's shoulder, possibly stabbing you or causing more damage to Les. You acted on instinct and your instincts helped you solve the problem. If you're interested, you could always work with some of the guys on different hand to hand techniques so you have other options in your arsenal if something like that happens again, but that's up to you. Once again, you did your damndest to not only accomplish your objective. Not only that, but you protected your partner as well. Good job, Steph."

I was speechless, which is saying a lot. Before my ability to speak could return, Lester walked in with a bandaged shoulder and his arm in a sling. He used his good arm to pull me up out of my seat and wrapped me up in a one armed bear hug. "Thanks for watching my six, Steph. You can partner with me anytime. Now let's get out of here and go grab something to eat, I'm starving."

We stopped at Shorty's on the way back to Rangeman and picked up enough pizza for everyone. We left a whole pie with Hal, since he was stuck on monitor duty and Tank took his pizza into his office so he could work on paperwork while he ate. Cal, Les and the new guy Henderson all joined me in the break room.

We talked about nothing in particular as we worked our way through the pizzas. The Merry Men could be intimidating when they wanted to be, but they were also smart, funny guys who could be a riot to hang out with. When I mentioned I would like to spend more time at the shooting range, Cal volunteered to work with me the next day. We made plans to meet at the Rangeman shooting range when he got off shift at 1700 tomorrow, that's 5:00 pm to us civilians, and I was starting to feel better about myself and the solutions I had decided to work on.

I was feeling great when Henderson drove me back to my apartment to drop me off. He pulled in to my parking lot and turned off the engine, I'm assuming to fulfill the standard Steph drop-off protocol of escorting me to the door and sweeping my apartment before I was allowed to enter.

I glanced around and saw Joe's truck, and then noticed the light on in my apartment. I told Henderson I had company and there was no need to clear my apartment, hoping I wasn't going to regret that decision once Joe started in. Not sure if he should push the issue or not, Henderson finally decided to escort me to the door but to forego the full apartment sweep. I sighed as I turned the doorknob and walked into my home.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you to all who are coming along on my latest adventure. The story continues to evolve in my mind and I'm hoping to be able to post more soon. Please take a moment and let me know what you think. I love hearing your thoughts and suggestions on where you think the story should go.

Chapter 5

I had a sense of _déjà vu _when I walked into my living room and found Joe sitting on my couch watching a ball game and drinking a beer. The only thing different from the last time was there was no pizza.

He looked over as I walked in and said "Hey, Cupcake" before turning back to the ballgame and taking a long pull off his beer.

"Hey, Joe. What's up?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen to get myself a bottle of water. I knew we hadn't made plans to get together so I figured he had another reason for stopping by.

As I started to walk past him to sit in the arm chair on the other side of the couch, Joe grabbed my hand and pulled me down beside him. He nuzzled my neck and said "Do I need a special reason to spend time with my girlfriend? The 'boys' miss you, Cupcake. I thought we could spend a little time together before I have to go."

This surprised me. Joe hadn't told me he was going anywhere. "Before you go where?"

"I can't tell you where, but I'll be working undercover for a week or so. I have to leave at midnight so we should get started." He continued to nuzzle and kiss my neck and shoulder and his hands had wandered up under my shirt. He was so busy trying to get busy, he didn't notice I was moving into rhino mode. He had a lot of nerve thinking he could just show up like nothing had happened the other night, tell me he's leaving and expect me to fall into bed with him.

It took a minute but I finally got his hands out of my shirt and had put a little distance between us on the couch. He gave me an exasperated look and said with a petulant whine, "What's your problem, Cupcake? Don't tell me it's that time of the month again."

That was enough to send me into full blown rhino mode. I stood up and started pacing around the living room. "No, it's not 'that time' again, Joe. I just don't appreciate you showing up just to get your 'boys' serviced on your way out of town. And you aren't even subtle about it! You could at least pretend you have some interest in me beyond sex. What about 'how was your day?' Or, 'sorry I took all the pizza the other night.' But no, not the Italian Stallion. You just want to get your rocks off and be on your way."

Joe laughed, "I don't have to ask how your day was. I've heard about your day from a dozen people already. You may find a gun is more effective if you point it and pull the trigger rather than using it to bludgeon someone."

"You know I hate shooting people and besides, I couldn't shoot without hitting Lester." I know I sounded defensive, but I couldn't help myself.

"No big loss there." Joe muttered.

That did it. "How dare you! Lester is my friend and my partner. Would you risk hurting your partner if you were in the same situation?"

"I wouldn't be in that situation, Cupcake, because I'm qualified to do my job. I don't run around relying on pure, dumb luck or someone else to save my ass when I've fucked up again. I know for a fact that wasn't even your gun you hit that woman with. Your gun is still in your cookie jar. Was the damn thing even legal? I'm guessing you got it from Santos, but do you know where it came from? Your incompetence is going to get you killed someday, Cupcake."

I've heard the same thing from Joe so many times it shouldn't bother me, but tonight something in my brain clicked. Basically, Joe and Tank had both had made the same point. I needed to get better at my job. The way they went about conveying that message was worlds apart. Thinking about what Tank said, I forced myself to take several deep breaths to calm myself before replying.

"A good friend taught me a new way to work through things. In the past, I would just say that something wasn't my fault. But I wouldn't make any effort to identify what caused the problem or search for a solution. You asked me what my problem is, so I'm going to tell you. My problem is I have lacked the motivation to make needed changes in my life. I believe one of the reasons I have lacked motivation is that I have not been supported and encouraged by some of the people in my life, especially you. You do not value me for who I am, but rather what I can do for you. You don't accept me for who I am, but try to mold me into the person you want me to be."

Joe scoffed. "You can't blame your incompetence on me, Steph. And I'm not trying to mold you into someone else. I just want you to be safe and to be the best wife and mother you can be."

"But that's exactly what I mean, Joe. I don't want to be a wife and mother, at least not now. Maybe not ever. That is the person you want me to be. Right now, I want to be a bounty hunter and I'm going to be working with the guys at Rangeman to improve my skills so I can be better at my job."

"So that's your solution? Spend more time with the men in black? How do you think that looks, Steph?"

"I don't give a damn how it looks, Joe. You should know that by now. And yes, that is part of my solution. The other part of my solution is to start demanding the respect I deserve. If you can't be supportive and encouraging, if you can't accept me for who I am, then you and I are through."

At this Joe rolled his eyes and stood up. "You know what, Cupcake? I don't have time for this. I'll talk to you when I get back."

This reminded me of something I had wanted to ask him. "Tell me something, Joe. Have you ever had sex to maintain your cover during one of these undercover assignments?"

Standing at the door with his hand on the knob, Joe paused. Then he turned back to look at me and replied, "Just because Batman is out there getting some strange doesn't mean he did it to protect his cover, Cupcake. I don't appreciate you questioning me because of something Ranger did. You need to figure out where your loyalties should be."

Later as I lay in bed thinking about what he had said, I realized that Joe had never answered my question.

Despite another restless night, I was up before my alarm went off the next morning. In spite of everything going through my head about Joe and Ranger, I was excited to get started on my plan for a new and improved Steph. As I waited for the coffee to brew, I pulled my Smith & Wesson .38 special out of my teddy bear cookie jar and loaded it with the bullets I found rolling around in my junk drawer. I made a mental note to stop by Sunny's and pick up a box of ammunition before my afternoon gun range date with Cal. With my gun zipped away in the side pocket of my purse, I poured my first cup of the day and started thinking about my plan for the day.

Tank had asked me to work on some searches for Rangeman in the afternoon, so I decided to head to the bonds office first to see if Connie had anything new for me. I still had two files from the day before and I was hoping I could pick up at least one of them this morning. As I sipped my coffee, I flipped open the file on the domestic violence charge. I was surprised to see it was a girl I had graduated from high school with.

Sarah Sanders, nee Forsythe, was arrested for attempting to castrate her cheating husband with a kitchen knife. Sarah was a typical Burg housewife who filled her days with keeping house, running errands and volunteering in her children's school. She returned home earlier than planned one afternoon and decided to make a nice minestrone for her family's supper. While chopping the vegetables for the soup, Sarah heard noises from one of the upstairs bedrooms. Clutching her knife in fear, she quietly made her way up the stairs and toward the master bedroom at the end of the hall. She became alarmed when she heard her husband moan. Thinking perhaps her beloved John had come home sick while she was out, she rushed into their bedroom. There she discovered John cuffed to their marital bed with Joyce Bernhardt sucking on Little John for all she was worth.

Seeing the knife in Sarah's hand, Joyce made the prudent decision to leave Sarah and John to their discussion and high-tailed it out of the bedroom, clothes in hand. John could only watch in horror as Sarah and her knife advanced towards the bed. Little John was doing his best to shrink from sight but Sarah would not be deterred. She grabbed hold of John's shriveled member and was contemplating a home amputation when Trenton PD walked in. They had been driving by on patrol when Joyce had exited the front door, clothes still in hand. Not wanting to be arrested for indecent exposure, Joyce had sent them on the more urgent mission of arresting the knife wielding wife.

I rinsed out my coffee cup and gathered up my files. I checked the time and knew Sarah's kids would already be off to school so I decided to stop by her house first. I knocked on the door and Sarah answered with the kind of polite smile that is generally reserved for census takers and petition peddlers. The smile quickly turned genuine when she recognized me and then fell just as quickly as she realized why I was there.

"Hi Sarah. You missed your court date and I need to take you down to reschedule. You're in violation of your bond and if you don't get this taken care of, it will be much worse for you later."

She sighed, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to miss my court date. My daughter's school was going on a field trip that day and they needed a chaperone. I just couldn't disappoint her by missing that trip."

"I'll call Connie and have her meet us at the station. Court is in session right now and she should be able to get you rebonded and back in time for lunch."

I waited while she made sure everything was off and grabbed her purse. We talked as we drove to the station and she told me how remorseful her husband was for cheating. It seems their marriage had gotten stale and John was too embarrassed to ask Sarah to try new things in the bedroom. Sarah had been feeling the same way, but didn't know how to approach John about spicing things up a bit. Afraid she was going to start going into more detail about how she wanted to spice things up, I stepped on the gas and made it to the police station in record time.

I turned Sarah over to the desk sergeant and collected my body receipt. Connie was walking in as I was walking out and she let me know she didn't have anything new for me. With nothing else to do, I stopped back by my apartment and grabbed some workout clothes before making my way to Haywood.

The Rangeman gym has everything a well-muscled mercenary could want, including machines for cardio and weight lifting. There was also an impressive collection of free weights available in front of the floor to ceiling mirrored wall. I changed into my workout gear and set the treadmill to a brisk walking pace. I put in my earbuds, cranked some death metal and set off on my path to self-improvement.

Thirty minutes later, I was sweaty, red-faced and out of breath but I had kept up the pace the whole time and even added a few inclines now and then. Bobby had come into the gym while I was on the treadmill and was working with the free weights. I walked over to say hello and Bobby commented, "Looking good there, Steph. Starting is the hardest part. Cardio is a great way to begin. Let me know if you want to add some strength training and I'll show you how to use the weight machines."

I laughed, "Thanks, Bobby, but I'll never look like one of you guys."

Bobby chuckled and said, "Strength training doesn't have to mean bulking up. Using weights not only helps build muscle, but it makes your bones stronger. It also helps keep your workouts from getting boring if you vary what you're doing each day."

Smiling my appreciation I told him I would take him up on his offer. He spent the next thirty minutes going over how to use the machines safely and helping me find a good baseline weight for each exercise. He showed me how to use the machine to work my arms, legs, back and core and suggested I focus on just two areas at a time during each workout. He also explained how doing a lot of reps with a lighter weight would allow me to build strength without adding bulk. By the time we were finished I had just enough time to get changed into my Rangeman uniform and get to the fifth floor to start my shift.

I was just finishing up my last search of the day when Cal stopped by my cubicle to let me know he was done for the day. I shut down my system and grabbed my purse to follow Cal down to the gun range. I had remembered to stop by Sunny's on my way to Rangeman and proudly pulled both my gun and my ammo from my purse as we were getting set up on the range. Cal smiled approvingly and handed me eye and ear protection so we could get started.

After firing several rounds with my revolver, Cal handed me a semiautomatic like the one Lester had given me the day before. He walked me through inserting the clip and chambering the round. Then he had me put on different kinds of holsters and practice drawing the weapon and removing the safety. Cal explained that, while it was great that I was carrying my gun, it wasn't practical to have to dig through my purse to retrieve it if I needed it in a hurry. We practiced with a shoulder holster, one on my hip and another at the small of my back. I had a little hot flash as I remembered how the first time Ranger had tried to get me to carry a weapon, he had tucked it down the front of my pants. The holsters were much more comfortable.

The rest of my week followed a similar pattern. I'd spend my mornings working on skips for Vinnie then head to the gym at Rangeman for an hour before starting my afternoon shift. I would spend the first half hour on the treadmill and my brisk walk was already up to a slow jog. Then I would move to the weight machine and work on either arms and back or legs and abs. I noticed that, even if the gym was empty when I arrived, there was always someone there before I left to offer encouragement and support as I worked through my reps on the weight machine.

After my shift, I would spend some time at the gun range with one of the Merry Men. We practiced more than killing paper men. I could now draw a weapon from any style holster and have it ready to fire in an instant. I was becoming more comfortable with a gun and was surprised to learn I had a natural ability to shoot. I still didn't like guns, but I was learning to not fear them.

Ram and I had just finished with my lesson and I was cleaning my gun while he swept up our spent cartridges when Tank walked into the range. He nodded to Ram and said, "Hey Steph, do you have a minute? I'd like you to stop by my office before you head out."

"Sure, Tank. I'll be up in five." I assumed he had a distraction job for me and I had nothing else to do on a Friday night. At least it would give me an excuse to get dressed up and go out, even if I was dressed like a skank to lure out a criminal.

Five minutes later, I rapped on the door frame of Tank's open office door and walked in. Lester and Bobby were in Tank's office and I started to back out, thinking I had interrupted something. Tank waved me in and said, "Come in and close the door, Steph."

Glancing at their faces, I started to get an uneasy feeling as I closed the door behind me. All three were wearing what I call their blank faces. Blank face was a standard Rangeman tool used to hide what the wearer was thinking. As I spent more and more time at Rangeman, I had learned to see through their blank faces enough to know that these three were worried about something. I leaned back against the closed door and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I got a call from Ranger's handler today. He missed his last check-in." Tank delivered this news like he was telling me it was going to rain tomorrow. Lester and Bobby sat silently while Tank continued. "When he is working out in the field, Ranger has a check-in protocol that gives him a chance to receive information from and pass information back to his handler. Up until now Ranger, has not missed a check-in for this mission. Normally missing one check-in isn't cause for alarm, but there is concern that our operation to pick up Marcel Chagall may have blown Ranger's cover."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thank you to those who asked for Ranger's POV. Your idea put my brain into hyper-drive and this chapter seemed to write itself. I greatly appreciate those all of you who have joined me on the adventure and want to say a huge thank you to those who take the time to leave your thoughts and comments. Lastly, thank you to all who have added me and my stories to your favorites. I can't express how much that means to me!

Warning for graphic content.

Chapter 6

Ranger POV

As I slowly came to, I realized several things at once: I was naked, I was laying on the floor and my hands were cuffed behind my back. I also had the worst headache of my life. I couldn't hear anyone else in the room but I wasn't sure I was alone. I pretended to still be unconscious while I evaluated my situation.

I tried to remember what happened, but my headache was making it hard to concentrate. Come on, Manoso, focus. I couldn't conjure up any recollection of how I got here, so I decided to start back at the beginning.

My mission was to identify the leader of a human trafficking operation working in the New York City area. Chantelle and Marcel Chagall had been identified as potential weak links in the operation. I had learned early on in the mission that she was the brains and Marcel was the bait used to lure women in. I spent several weeks working my way into Chantelle's social circle and then into her bed. Known for her short attention span when it came to lovers, I knew I would only have a limited amount of time to discover who she was working for once I was in.

I had been in her bed for a little over a week when Chantelle asked me to accompany her to a charity event the following week. The paparazzi liked to prowl around these sort of events to get photographs of the rich and spoiled, and I was concerned about being photographed. I knew Stephanie thought I was just being paranoid about my desire for privacy, but I didn't want to make it easy for my enemies to find me. Plus, my government work required total anonymity and that was hard to maintain when your face is splashed across Page Six.

Thinking about the charity event brought back the image of my Babe. She had obviously spent a great deal of time preparing for the evening and she looked gorgeous. I had seen her as soon as we had walked into the room. It took a moment for her to see me and for just a split second, I allowed myself to imagine what it would be like to be walking in with her instead.

I quickly scanned the room and saw Bobby, Lester and Vince and wondered what the hell was going on. Since Les and Vince were working, I assumed this was a job. Stephanie was standing far too close to Marcel for my comfort, but I trusted the guys to keep her safe. I hated that I had to maintain my cover and let things play out, but I didn't have a choice. I heard Chantelle say to Stephanie the sex was amazing and I was certain Steph would now hate me.

Stephanie was too innocent and naive to understand that I had to do whatever was necessary to get the job done. If this meant beating a person or fucking a person or killing a person, that's what I did. This is why my life didn't lend itself to relationships. Stephanie had once asked me if my deep, dark secret was that I was sick. I had been honest with her when I told her that sometimes I thought I was mentally, emotionally and sexually sick. I would have to be to do the things I did for the government.

As I took the champagne flutes from Lester's tray, we locked eyes. Steph thinks we have ESP but, the truth is, when you've been to Hell and back together you don't need words to communicate. With that look, Lester assured me he would look after my Babe.

When I brought the champagne back to Chantelle, Steph leaned in to whisper something in Marcel's ear. I had seen this routine enough times to know what she was doing. Marcel was the mark. I didn't know how Rangeman had ended up with the job of bringing him back into the system, but this had the potential of becoming a cluster fuck of epic proportions.

Chantelle moved on to speak with someone else and I told her I was going to find the restroom. I followed Stephanie and Marcel went out into the lobby and watched as they moved towards the elevator bank. The intel I had on Marcel indicated he would slip the target a date rape drug and then offer to help the person when they started to be affected by the drugs. I could see she was starting to lean more heavily against him and realized he had drugged Stephanie's drink. The elevator doors opened and Tank grabbed the front of Marcel's shirt while Hal crowded him in to the elevator from behind. As the doors closed I saw Stephanie collapse into Bobby's waiting arms.

It took all of my training to maintain the facade of curious bystander while I watched Bobby carry her unconscious form out through the door. Knowing I still had a job to do, I moved back into the reception hall to find Chantelle.

We stayed through dinner but Chantelle was becoming more and more agitated. I watched as she tried to reach her brother several times during the course of the meal but he wasn't responding to her text messages. When the waiter came to take her untouched plate she stood up and indicated we were leaving.

Sliding into the back seat of the limousine, Chantelle hit a speed dial button on her phone. When the call went directly to voicemail, she growled in frustration and slammed her phone down on the seat.

"That little bastard took her to play with all by himself." she fumed.

"What are you talking about, Chantelle?" I'm sure she was surprised I asked, but I had to know what she thought her brother was up to. I didn't tell her that I knew why he wasn't answering his phone.

"My brother took that stunning creature off by himself. He knows I want a piece of her and now I'll have to wait." She reached over and began to stroke me and continued, "I can't wait for the four of us to have some fun."

I had heard rumors about Marc and Chantelle and their "games" but hadn't been invited to participate up to this point. It was whispered that they abused the trafficking victims before moving them out of the country and Chantelle seemed to be confirming this. Knowing Steph could have been their next victim made my blood boil.

Pushing these thoughts out of my mind, I focused on the task at hand. I had to maintain my cover, which meant responding to the vile specimen currently working on getting my zipper down. As she took me in her mouth, I closed my eyes and imagined another set of lips on my body. While others might think it would be a dream assignment to have sex with a beautiful woman like Chantelle, I had found it increasingly difficult to do these kinds of assignments after being with Stephanie. I hated tainting those memories by using them to be able to perform with someone else, but nothing else worked.

By the time we got back to the penthouse, Chantelle had worked herself into a rage. The sex was almost violent and I gave as good as I got. I hated feeling helpless when it came to protecting Steph, and I used that frustration instead of giving in to the disgust I felt at touching this woman.

When Chantelle was finally sated and drifted off to sleep, I couldn't get to the shower fast enough to wash all traces of her off me. After a long, boiling hot shower, I returned to the bedroom and settled into the bed as far from her as I could get. My last thoughts as I drifted to sleep were of how beautiful my Babe looked tonight.

The next day Chantelle received word from his attorney that Marcel had been taken back into custody. I expected another rage but she was surprisingly calm. She closeted herself in her office and largely ignored me for the rest of the day. This was unusual because, up until this point, the time I spent with her had been one long party. She seemed to snap out of her funk after dinner and the evening was spent indulging in more of her sex games. The next two days followed the same pattern, with Chantelle being all about business during the day and all about pleasure in the evening.

The last thing I remember before waking up on the floor was Chantelle in bed with a bottle of Cristal. She would pour the champagne on her body and demand I lick it off. It started at her breasts and then moved down to her flat stomach. She raised her legs to my shoulders and handed me the bottle. I spread her open and filled her with the cold liquid. I remember the orgasm that shuddered through her as I drank the champagne from her body, but that was the last thing I remember. Based on my headache and who I was dealing with, it was a given that the champagne had been laced with something.

I heard the door open but kept my eyes closed. I was hoping whoever had come into the room would think I was still passed out and allow me more time to try to work out a plan. A hard kick to my groin let me know that wasn't going to happen. I grunted in pain and pulled my knees up to protect myself as best as I could.

"Wakey, wakey Ricardo." Chantelle said in a sing-song voice as she walked around me and delivered a second kick to my kidney. "Or do you prefer Ranger?"

"Imagine my surprise when I discovered my latest boy toy was the CEO of an elite security firm. The same elite security firm that took my brother away from me. You've been a very bad boy, Ricardo." This last sentence was said with venom as another kick was delivered to my scrotum.

I knew it would do no good to deny it. I wouldn't be here if she hadn't learned the truth so I laid there and continued to work on breathing through the pain. Chantelle continued to slowly circle me as she spoke.

"You are extremely talented at flying below the radar. Luckily, your bitch girlfriend Stephanie isn't as talented. She makes the papers quite regularly. I'll bet you never realized how often you appear in background of those photographs, did you? When I had narrowed it down to Trenton, it didn't take long to find out who you really were, Rafe." This was followed by a kick to my sternum.

"Once I found out I had the mighty Ranger Manoso in my bed, I reached out to a few friends in the international community. I was so pleased to learn that we had a mutual friend from Russia." She gave a low chuckle as she delivered a swift kick to the back of my thigh. "Sergei Mironovich sends his regards."

"As a matter of fact, Sergei has asked me to do him a very special favor and, in return, he has agreed to help get my brother freed. All I have to do is hold you here until Sergei arrives in two days. Imagine all the fun we can have while we wait." I could hear the smile in her voice when she added, "Well, it will be fun for me anyway."

With that, she picked up a cat o' nine tails that was laying on the table and swung it down across my ass. She brought it down repeatedly on my ass and the back of my thighs. I clenched my teeth and refused to make a sound. This only seemed to inflame her as she continued to flail my backside.

Realizing I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of hearing me cry out or beg for mercy, she set the whip down and walked around to where I could see her.

"We'll see how tough you are as you watch Sergei whip and then fuck your precious Stephanie Plum. Oh, I did I forget to mention that delivering your bitch to Sergei was also part of our deal?" She was laughing as she walked out of the room, leaving me beaten, bloody, naked and cuffed on the floor.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Unless otherwise noted, this story is written from Stephanie's POV. The idea to include Ranger's POV in the last chapter came from a couple of readers as the story was evolving and I loved the suggestion. I appreciate hearing all of your thoughts, reactions and suggestions as we move through this story. The story continues to evolve as I write, but I'm loving the path it is taking.

Chapter 7

Hearing Tank say that our operation to pick up Marcel Chagall may have compromised Ranger's mission seemed to make everything worse. I knew we hadn't done anything to make someone suspect we knew him, but somehow, someone may have made the connection.

"Tank, how could that have happened? None of us even acknowledged him." I asked.

Tank shook his head and replied, "We don't know yet, Steph. Ranger makes every effort to keep himself out of sight, but between social media, online news and the internet, anything is possible. He is the CEO of an up and coming company, he has an impressive net worth, and some people consider him good looking," he said with a snort. "It was only a matter of time before his two worlds collided, especially working so close to home."

What Tank said was true. Heaven knows my face had been in the newspapers enough that people all over Trenton and the surrounding area knew the Bombshell Bounty Hunter. With this in mind I asked, "What if it wasn't Ranger they found? What if I was recognized during the distraction? Ranger and Rangeman have been associated with me in several of the newspaper stories about my disasters." I could feel my panic rising as I realized I may be the reason Ranger had been caught.

Tank started shaking his head. "Don't go there, Steph. We don't know for sure how they found out and at this point, it doesn't really matter. All we know is that Ranger is missing."

I took several deep breaths to quell the rising panic and asked, "Okay, Tank. We identified the problem. Let's start working on a solution. What can I do?"

Tank, Bobby and Lester exchanged a look that told me they hadn't planned on including me in the solution. "Oh hell no, boys. I was part of the team that brought in Chagall. I will be part of the team that brings Ranger home. Now tell me what I can do to help? If you don't let me help, I will go out on my own and look for him."

They all knew me well enough to know that this was not an idle threat. Tank let out a sigh and I knew I had convinced him to let me help. "We have everyone reaching out to their contacts, both on the street and in the government, to find out if anyone has heard anything. I've had two guys running searches to learn everything we can about the Chagalls. Unfortunately there is a ton of information to be gone through. Ranger always said you had a good eye for picking out details. Why don't you start going through the data and see if you can give us any idea where they may have taken him. Silvio and Vince are in conference room 2 with all the data they were able to pull."

Before Tank had even finished talking, I was on my way out through the door. I found Silvio and Vince with what looked like several reams of paper. It looked like they had already been at it for a while. I grabbed the nearest report and started reading down through. I really didn't have any idea what I was looking for, and I hoped I would recognize it when I saw it.

At 9:00 o'clock, or 2100 as Tank called it, we all met in one of the larger conference rooms to go over what we had learned. Everyone took their seat around the table and Tank barked "Report."

Hector and Lester had been working their contacts out on the streets. According to several people, word on the street was that someone was very interested in getting their hands on 'Manoso's woman'. Even though I had been with Joe on and off for a couple of years, I still had the reputation on the street of being Ranger's woman. I tried to argue that I wasn't anyone's possession, but Ranger said it didn't matter whether I liked it or not. It offered me protection and that was all that mattered. What made this odd was that this wasn't a hit like when the Slayers were after me. Word on the street was they wanted me alive. Not surprisingly, this didn't make me feel any better.

Tank continued around the table but no one else seemed to have much to offer. I only half listened as I continued to go through the asset reports and bank statements I had brought in to the meeting with me. Something was making my spidey sense tingle but I couldn't figure out what it was that I was missing. When Tank got to me, I just waved for him to continue around the table while I flipped through the printouts. Just as Tank was adjourning the meeting I realized what was bothering me.

"Hey guys, hold up. I think I may have something to check out. Marc Chagall had a monthly lease payment going to a property management company in Newark. According to these records, the property appears to be residential, but is located down near the pier. That isn't a great part of town. Why would a wealthy playboy keep a place in such a rundown area?"

"You have an address, Steph?" Lester asked, using the laptop on the table to bring up a computer program on the overhead screen. I read off the address and Les brought up a satellite image of the area. As he zoomed in on the exact location, I realized the people and the cars in the image were moving. This was a live feed from an orbiting satellite.

The image wasn't great, but we could see a black Lincoln Town Car parked under a street lamp in front of the address. There was a bodyguard/chauffeur type person leaning against the fender and appeared to be waiting for someone. As we watched, a figure could be seen exiting the townhouse and the chauffeur opened the rear door. The second figure got in the back seat. The chauffeur went around to the driver's side and the car drove off.

Tank nodded to Binkie and said, "Continue to track that vehicle by satellite. I want to know where they go. Also, see if you can get a plate so we can see who owns it. If that was Chantelle, we have a starting point. Good work, Steph."

As the rest of us stood up to leave Tank's phone chirped. "Yo." he answered, with all the phone manners of a Rangeman. He listened for a moment and then told the caller to keep him informed before disconnecting. Tank looked at Lester and Bobby and said, "My office, now."

I thought we had established that I was going to be involved in whatever they were planning, so I followed right behind them and into Tank's office. "Steph, I need to talk to Lester and Bobby. This is classified and you don't have clearance."

I didn't give a damn about classified at this point. I just wanted to find Ranger and get him home safely. "Then tell me without revealing classified information. Dammit, Tank, you're wasting time."

Tank gave me an appraising look before moving back around his desk to sit down. "Sergei Mironovich boarded a plane bound for JFK this evening. He will be landing midday tomorrow."

Lester and Bobby seemed to recognize the name but it meant nothing to me. "Who is this guy and what does he have to do with Ranger?"

Tank remained silent and let Lester do the talking. "Three years ago, there was a mission to bring in Sergei and his son Nicolai. Sergei was trafficking women from Eastern Europe into brothels throughout Moscow. One of our informants sold us out and Sergei managed to escape, but Nicolai was captured. While being interrogated about the operation, Nicolai collapsed and died. Ranger was leading the interrogation."

I nodded, "So we have a guy who deals in human trafficking with a personal beef against Ranger heading to the last place Ranger was seen. That seems like way to many coincidences." Tank just nodded so I continued. "So we have only until midday tomorrow to locate and recover Ranger before this Sergei guy makes things a lot tougher."

"You got it in one, Steph." Lester said. "I like the idea of the townhouse in Newark. That would be a convenient location to keep the women before they are loaded onto ships bound out of Newark. I say we start there."

Shaking my head I argued, "It doesn't make sense to waste time with maybes when we have what we need to find him standing right here."

Tank stood up, "No Steph. We are not going to use you for bait."

"I'm not bait Tank. I'm your GPS signal. Put a tracker on me and let them grab me. The street says they only want to grab me, not kill me. They want me alive, probably to use as leverage against Ranger. Let them take me to where Ranger is being held and you guys ride in like the cavalry and bust us both out."

Tank glanced over to Lester and Bobby and I could tell they were all weighing their options. "What if they strip you or make you change clothes like Scrog did? Then we've lost you and Ranger." Lester asked.

It was Bobby who had the answer to Lester's question. "Subcutaneous tracker. We make a small incision somewhere that won't be noticeable and implant a tracker. Then, even if all of your clothes and jewelry are taken, you are still transmitting. The technology is similar to the microchips people have been implanting in pets for years."

I looked back to Tank to see what he thought. I wasn't wild about having a transmitter implanted in my body, but it was a better alternative to not having a tracker at all.

"Okay. We really don't have any other options at this point." Tank said. "Bobby, get Steph set up. Steph, once we've got a confirmed signal, head to your apartment. There will be two teams monitoring from out of sight. Once they grab you, we'll follow at a distance. Hopefully they take you to the same location where they are holding Ranger. Once Sergei lands, we'll have two teams on him. Assuming Sergei is headed for Ranger, we will move in with all teams once we have you all in one location." Tank gave me a stern look. "You will have to rely on your wits to keep you safe until we come in. I know you can do it. I've seen you do it. Just be careful. I hate to leave you on your own, but I think this is our best option for bringing Ranger back home."

I understood that what Tank meant. This was our best option for bringing Ranger back home alive, but no one wanted to think about it in those terms. I followed Bobby out of Tank's office and down to the medical suite. We discussed where the best place would be for implanting the tracking device and decided on the back of my neck at my hairline. He gave me a shot of Novocaine to numb the area and then used what looked like a hypodermic on steroids to insert the device. After using a dab of surgical glue to seal the insertion point he called the control room and had them bring the device online. The control room confirmed I was transmitting, so there was nothing more for me to do but go home and hope to be kidnapped.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Thank you to those who are reading, following, favoriting and reviewing. I love reading your thoughts, ideas and comments, so please keep them coming.

Chapter 8

On a normal evening, one of the Merry Men would follow me home, walk me to my door and do a complete sweep through my apartment before allowing me to enter. All of this in the hopes of protecting me from the psychos, stalkers and kidnappers I seem to draw to me like moths to a flame.

Tonight, I pulled in to my spot by the dumpster hoping the kidnappers would just get this over with. I gave a quick glance around but didn't see anyone skulking close by, so I grabbed my purse and meandered across the parking lot and into my building. Wanting to give them as many opportunities as possible, I took the stairs to my second floor apartment, but the only thing in the stairwell was a few dust bunnies that didn't appear to be interested in abduction. Reaching into my bag, I grazed my fingertips over my gun for reassurance before pulling out my house keys to unlock my door. I held my breath as I entered the foyer, tensing up in anticipation of the attack I was expecting.

My apartment remained dark and silent so I walked towards the kitchen turning lights on as I went. I was trying to act as normal as possible but the adrenaline coursing through my body had me quivering and was causing me to startle at every noise. Setting my purse on the counter, I grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and slowly walked through my entire apartment to make sure there was no one hiding in the closet or under my bed. Finding I was alone in the apartment was both a relief and frustrating. I just wanted to get this over with so we could bring Ranger home. The anticipation of waiting to be kidnapped was worse than the actual abduction.

Returning to the kitchen I said hello to Rex and explained to him what was happening. I didn't want him to worry if he saw me being kidnapped. I gave him a chuck of carrot and made sure he had plenty of hamster nuggets and fresh water. Like a good hamster mom, I wanted to make sure he would be okay if I wasn't around in the morning to get his breakfast.

I was just starting to relax a little when the quiet was shattered by my ringing cell phone. A small shriek escaped before I could stop myself and my heart was pounding out of my chest as I dug through my bag to retrieve my phone.

"Hello?" My voice sounded a little husky since my heart was still up in my throat where it had jumped when the phone rang.

"Cupcake, are you okay? You sound strange." I was surprised to hear Joe's voice. The caller ID had indicated an unknown number.

"Yeah Joe, I'm fine. What's going on? Are you back?"

"No. Listen, I heard some rumors about someone looking for you and I wanted to make sure you were okay. Where are you?" he asked.

"I just got home. Ranger has gone missing and I was working with the guys at Rangeman to try to find some answers." I didn't want to tell Joe that letting me be abducted was the answer we had come up with. I didn't think he would be onboard with that plan.

Joe sighed into the phone. "Don't worry about Ranger. He's a big boy and can take care of himself. You just sit tight, lock your doors and stay home. Let his team worry about him."

I didn't want to argue so I made want I hoped were reassuring noises then asked, "Whose phone is this? I don't recognize the number."

"This is a burner phone I'm using on my assignment. Just delete the number. Listen, I've got to go. Stay safe, Steph." And with that he disconnected.

I plugged my phone into the charger on the wall and wandered back to my bedroom to get ready for bed. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep but I wanted everything to appear normal. I brushed my teeth and changed into an oversized black t-shirt. Normally I would just sleep in a t-shirt and my panties, but I didn't want to be kidnapped with no pants on so I added a pair of sweatpants.

I turned out the lights and tried to get comfortable in bed. I laid on my side facing the door and tried to calm my breathing. I could hear Rex running on his hamster wheel out in the kitchen so I tried to focus on that. I would glance at the clock every now and again, but time seemed to be creeping by. I had just glanced at the clock again and read 3:18 when I heard my locks being turned. I immediately tensed up and tried to force my body to relax. I worked on keeping my breathing even so whoever was opening my bedroom door would think I was asleep. I had left my bedroom curtains open intentionally, knowing the light from the street lamps would give me enough light to see who was in my room.

Two shadowy figures made their way quietly across the floor. I didn't have to pretend to be startled when a large gloved hand came down over my mouth and nose. Unable to breath, I started to panic and fight against the person holding me down. He continued to pin me to the bed with a hand over my face while the second person trapped my lower body by holding down the covers. I still had the use of my arms and I was clawing and pulling at the hand as my lungs screamed for oxygen. My struggles used up what oxygen I had left and the last thought I had as the darkness descended was that my plan had worked.

When I came to, I was bound and gagged in the trunk of a car. The trunk was roomy and I found I could stretch my cramped legs out a bit. I didn't know how long I had been out but it must have been a while because we were moving right along like we were on the turnpike. We were definitely not in Trenton anymore. Knowing that I was broadcasting a signal and had two teams somewhere behind me kept the panic from bubbling out uncontrollable.

After what felt like forever, I felt the car slow slightly and take an off ramp. Soon we were in stop and go traffic and I guessed we were in another city. The car came to a complete stop and then it felt like we were moving through a parking garage. I tried to brace myself to keep from rolling back and forth as the car moved from floor to floor, before finally coming to a stop.

The trunk lid lifted and I found myself looking up at a guy who could give Tank a run for his money. He reached in and rolled me over on to my stomach. I could feel him loosening the rope that bound my hands behind my back. Once my hands were free, he untied my feet. I reached up to pull the tape from my mouth and he growled "Leave it." In my head I named them Thing 1 and Thing 2.

Thing 1 moved to the side and Thing 2 tossed a bag at me. He wasn't as big as Thing 1 but the look in his eyes made him more frightening than the big guy. "Strip and put these on."

My eyes must have been as large as saucers as I stared back unmoving. "Do it or I'll strip you myself. I know I will enjoy it but I can guarantee you won't." Thing 2 said with a malicious smile.

I grabbed the bag he had thrown at me and pulled out a pair of black yoga pants and a black t-shirt. I looked and there was nothing else in the bag so I pulled my t-shirt down as far as I could before slipping off my sweat pants. I reached for the yoga pants and Thing 2 barked "All of it. Take off everything you have on."

I reached back under my t-shirt and slipped my panties off and slid them under my discarded sweatpants. I pulled the yoga pants on as far as I could before leaning back to pull them up over my hips. Sitting back up, I pulled my arms in through the arm holes of my t-shirt and used it to stay as covered as possible as I pulled the new t-shirt down over my head. Once I was covered, I removed the t-shirt I had been wearing.

The yoga pants were snug and clung to my body like a second skin while the t-shirt was a thin, performance material and barely reached the top of my pants. It was blatantly obvious I was wearing nothing under the clothes. Thing 2 was leering at my chest as he reached in to scoop up my clothes. He took my panties from the pile and held them to his face, breathing in deeply.

Thing 1 shook his head and said, "Enough. Check them for tracking devices. Remember what he said, she always has several on her."

Shit, who had told them that? Ranger wouldn't have said anything, no matter what they did to him. As I was trying to understand what I had heard, Thing 2 laid my clothes on the edge of the car and ran a wand back and forth over them. The low tone suddenly got higher as it passed over the bottom hem of my t-shirt. Thing 1 pulled a small knife from his pocket and sliced open the fabric of my shirt, finding the small GPS tracker Ella had sewn in. Moving to my sweatpants, the process was repeated and a tracker was removed from the waistband.

Thing 2 then ran it over my panties but the tone never changed. With a malevolent grin, he put the scrap of lace in his pocket. Thing 1 grabbed me by the arm and pulled me up to my knees as Thing 2 began to wave the wand over my body. The tone remained low until he got up around my neck. Pushing my hair back, he told me told me to remove my earrings. I slowly removed the diamond studs from my ears and set them on the bottom of the trunk. The wand was waved over them and it emitted a high pitched tone once more.

It was Thing 1's turn to smile. "You think you're so clever don't you. You didn't think we were smart enough to find those?"

Hector had been the one to suggest decoys in case I was searched. He reasoned that if they thought to check me for transmitters, they would keep looking until they found them. We knew there was a good possibility of me losing the ones in my clothing, but the one hidden in my earring would deflect attention away from my implant. Once my earrings were discovered, the hope was they would move on to somewhere else.

I was told to lay back down on my stomach and put my hands behind my back. I felt the rope being secured around my wrists again and then felt the hand move down my back and across my butt, before dipping down between my legs. I screamed as best as I could with tape across my mouth and tried to wiggle away from the offending hand. I heard an evil chuckle as the hand continued down my leg and another rope was used to secure my ankles.

The hand drifted back up my legs, across my butt and up my back until it reached the base of my neck. Suddenly, it grabbed a handful of my hair and my head was yanked up. Thing 2 leaned in and whispered in my ear, "When Sergei is done with you, you and I are going to spend some time getting to know each other. I just hope you are half as good looking by the time he's finished teaching your friend Ranger a lesson."

He released my hair and my face smacked into the bottom of the trunk. I couldn't wait for the Merry Men to bust in and kick this guy's ass. I hoped I would personally be able to deliver a few kicks to his groin in return for all the groping he had done. As I was picturing him doubled in pain, clutching his family jewels I heard the low tone of the scanner again. As it neared the back of my neck the tone began getting higher until they were directly over the implant. My hair was pushed aside and I felt the tip of a knife digging into the skin that was still tender from having the implant put in. I was screaming against the tape on my mouth as they used the knife to dig the last tracker out.

Once they were finished, Thing 2 reached in and lifted me. I was moved from the trunk of the Lincoln Town Car we had arrived in and loaded into the trunk of an older, dirty Honda that had seen better days. My clothes, earrings and implant were left in the trunk of the Lincoln. As the lid was slammed down on my new ride, I knew I was on my own from here.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thank you all for reading and reviewing. Your words of encouragement are what make this so much fun! I look forward to hearing what you think of this chapter...

Chapter 9

I only hoped the teams following me had seen me moved to the Honda. Judging by the noise around us when they were removing my trackers, I was guessing we were in the parking garage of a decent sized airport. My first inclination would be Newark because of the highway driving, but I wasn't sure how long I had been out before I came to. Plus, I hadn't been able to see if it was light out or not from where we were parked, so I had no way of knowing how much time had passed since my abduction at 3 am. For all I knew, I could be in Philly, or even Baltimore.

Leaving the parking garage, we continued in town and didn't get back on the highway. It felt like we had been traveling for about half an hour when we came to a stop and the car was turned off. I tried to find a way to brace myself to kick my abductors when they opened the lid, but there wasn't enough room to do more than lay on my side and wait. I knew I probably wouldn't be able to escape, but I would love to be able to get a couple of blows in for the groping I had to endure earlier.

The lid lifted and I was momentarily confused by the woman leaning over to grab me. Then I realized it was Thing 2 in a long blond wig and a pastel shirt and Thing 1 was nowhere in sight. Of course. If the guys were still watching my trackers, they would think I was in the parking garage. The Rangeman teams would be watching for the Town Car and two men to drive out of the parking garage, not a single woman in the rusted out Honda. These guys were definitely a step above my usual stalker/kidnapper types.

Thing 2 wrapped a hand around my throat, pushing me back down against the floor of the trunk. "Lay still," he hissed. Seeing a wicked looking knife in his other hand, I stopped struggling instantly. He slid the knife between my ankles and sliced through the rope binding my feet. The rush of blood into my feet caused instant pain that I knew would soon be followed by pins and needles as circulation was restored. The knife was returned to the sheath at his hip and he told me to roll so my back was to him. I was hoping he was going to cut the ropes on my wrists, but instead he grasped me under both arms and pulled me up and out of the trunk.

I nearly collapsed at the pain shooting through my feet as I tried to stand. Thing 2 stayed behind me and pushed me toward the door of the townhouse in front of us. I took a quick glance around me and thought I recognized the area from the satellite imagery we had looked at last night. It was hard to believe that was just a few short hours ago.

The world was still asleep, but the sky was starting to lighten as I was rushed up the stairs and through the door. We wouldn't what an early morning riser to peek out the window to see a bound and gagged woman being escorted into the house. The door entered into a foyer with a staircase on the left and a door to the right. Thing 2 opened the door and pushed me into what looked to be a sitting room. I stumbled from the push but managed to catch myself before I fell. I turned to glare at Thing 2 but as I faced him, he reached forward and ripped off the tape that had been covering my mouth. I gasped from the pain before I could stop myself. This brought a smirk to his face as he turned and walked back out through the door, shutting it softly behind him as he left. I heard the locks tumble and then nothing.

I waited a minute to give Thing 2 a chance to leave and then tried the knob, just to be sure. Finding it was indeed locked, I moved to the windows next. Old fashioned wooden shutters on the inside of the window prevented passersby from gazing in. They were bolted top and bottom and I had no way of reaching the locks at the top to release them.

Having ruled out escape, I looked around the room to see if there was anything I could use as a weapon to defend myself. There wasn't much in the room for furniture, only a couple of bulky couches, a desk and a filing cabinet. None of the furniture had a sharp enough edge that I could use it to saw through the ropes. I growled in frustration, trying to decide what my next step should be but there was nothing I could do for now.

The couches were both filthy with who knows what kinds of stains on them, so I opted to sit on top of the desk. It felt like I had been sitting there for hours when the lock turned and the door opened.

I slid off the desk and turned towards the door with what I hoped was a trademark Rangeman blank face. Chantelle Chagall walked into the room followed by Thing 1 and a bound and battered looking Joe Morelli. As hard as I tried not to react, I knew I had failed miserably as I watched a satisfied smirk spread across Chantelle's face.

"Cupcake, I'm so sorry. I tried to save you but the bitch double crossed me." This comment earned Joe a punch to gut from Thing 1.

Chantelle walked casually over and reached up to touch my face. I yanked my head back away from her hand and her grin turned to a full on smile. "I must say, you were much more appealing the last time I saw you. You and I could have had an amazing time together. If there is anything appealing about you after Sergei gets done, then I'll show you all the things your boyfriend Ranger liked to do to me."

I snorted, "Liked to do? In your dreams, sweetheart." This earned me a hard slap across my already bruised face. I bit down on the inside of my mouth to keep from crying out, refusing to give her the satisfaction.

Chantelle's smile never left her face as she grabbed me by the hair and pulled my head back painfully, bringing her mouth down hard on mine. I tasted blood as lips and teeth ground together and she forced her tongue into my mouth. With my hands secured behind my back and my head pulled so far back, I was unable to do anything to stop her tongue from plundering my mouth. As I tried to bite down, she pulled back. With my head still pulled back, she used her other hand to sharply twist my nipple before giving me a shove. I was unable to break my fall as I tumbled backwards, and the back of my head connected with the edge of the desk. I saw stars and then nothing.

When I came to, I was laying on the floor beside the desk with my arms still bound behind my back. I could feel fingers digging at the ropes, but I had no idea whose. As I tried to move my head to see who was working on my bindings, Joe asked, "Are you okay, Cupcake? You weren't out for very long but there is blood all over the back of your neck."

I started to nod and immediately regretted trying to move my head again. I didn't feel like I had a concussion, but my head hurt like hell. "Joe, what are you doing here? How did you end up with Chantelle and what did you mean she double crossed you?"

"Stand up and I'll see if I can get your hands untied," he said. We both stood up and stood back to back. It was awkward trying to get my wrists where his fingers could reach and we maneuvered around in silence for a few minutes before Joe was able to start working on the ropes. When we were finally in position, Joe responded to my question.

"I had been working for a couple of months trying to establish my identity as a flesh trader from Atlantic City looking to restock my brothel with some fresh faces. I was finally able to set up a face to face with the broker last week. I met with Chantelle in New York but something went wrong and she started questioning my cover. I had to do something to regain her faith, so I outed Ranger. I told her he owned the security company that had brought her brother back to jail. I knew he'd be able to take care of himself if he got caught, so I wasn't worried about exposing him."

It was a good thing my hands were still tied behind my back or I would have choked the life out of Joe right then and there. "How could you? They are going to kill him and it's your fault!" I shrieked as I yanked my hands away from his and turned around to face him. He turned towards me and continued with his story.

"I didn't realize Chantelle was going to go after you as well. Once she started looking for information on Ranger and Rangeman, she came across all those articles about you. She called me and asked if I knew Ranger's girlfriend, the Bombshell Bounty Hunter. I couldn't tell her you were my girlfriend, so I played along. I told her that I didn't know you, but I knew Ranger watched over you and assigned men to protect you. I told her how you always had trackers on you so he could find you anywhere. I thought that would keep you safe. I was trying to protect you, Steph. I didn't realize that she had ID'd me, too, until she had that goon grab me during our meeting this morning."

"I still can't believe you would put Ranger at risk like that. What the hell were you thinking? Chantelle isn't our biggest problem anymore. There is some crazy Russian guy with a score to settle with Ranger. From what I've gathered, the plan is to torture and rape me to punish Ranger. How is that keeping me safe, Joe?"

"Don't blame me, Cupcake. If you hadn't been working with Rangeman to bring in Marc Chagall, you never would have crossed her radar. Obviously there was enough out there about you and Ranger that she thought you two were a couple. Why the hell is that, Steph? On top of all that, if you were competent in your job and not always front page news, she never would have been able to make me. It's your fault my cover was blown."

I sat in stunned disbelief. "How twisted is your mind that you have made this my fault? You were the one who gave Ranger up in the first place. You may not have known Chantelle was going to trade him to the Russian, but you had to know you were putting his life in danger."

"His life is always in danger from his own choices," Joe shot back. "Besides, I don't think it would be a great loss if he disappeared permanently. Look at how well we got along before you saw him in New York. With Ranger gone, there'd be no one to keep encouraging your insane idea about being a bounty hunter and you and I could finally settle down."

My mouth fell open as Joe was talking. I couldn't begin to wrap my brain around what he was saying. "I thought I lived in denial land, but you take the fucking cake. If this Sergei guy doesn't kill you, Ranger will."

Joe snorted, "I'm not afraid of Manoso. I've held my own against guys bigger than him. Besides, he knows the risks when he goes into a job like this. He can't fault me for trying to protect my cover. He would have done the same thing to me."

Slowly shaking my head, I replied, "You really don't get it, do you? He's not going to kill you for putting him in danger. He's going to kill you for putting me in danger."

Before Joe could respond we heard someone unlocking the door. A man I hadn't seen before walked in and grabbed my arm. "Sergei will see you now." he said with a heavy Russian accent.

"Where are you taking her?" Joe asked forcefully. The new guy let go of my arm and, without saying a word, punched Joe in the face. Stunned, Joe went down like a bag of rocks. I knew I should have been scared but, instead, I was wishing I could have been the one to punch him.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I can't say it often enough, thank you to all who have read, reviewed, followed and favorited my stories. You are what make this guilty pleasure so much more enjoyable.

While most of the story is written from Steph's POV, I feel adding Ranger's perspective occasionally helps move the plot along. Please take a moment and let me know what you think.

Also, realized I hadn't included any disclaimers up to this point, so anything you recognize belongs to Janet Evanovich.

Chapter 10

Ranger POV

The last two days had passed slowly. Chantelle had returned each day to beat me and taunt me with threats of what was going to happen to Stephanie. Physical torture was something a man in my line of work learns to endure. I had certainly received far worse at the hands of an enemy, although the Chantelle's anger could be felt with each lash of the whip. My real torture came from knowing that my worst fears had been realized. My work had put Stephanie in danger. Just the fact that Chantelle knew her name was enough to wrap an icy band of fear around my chest.

Fortunately, I was dealing with amateurs. Both days, one of Chantelle's minion had shown up a couple of times to take me to use the bathroom. I guess Chantelle didn't want me shitting in the corner and using the curtains to wipe my ass. Each time the minion had walked me out the door and down to the bathroom at the end of the hallway he had been either too lazy or too stupid to blindfold me. I was quickly able to get a feel for the layout of the upper floor.

Once in the bathroom, he would unlock one bracelet and then step back quickly. He would remain standing in the doorway with a gun trained on me while I went about my business. Once I was done, my hands were secured behind my back again and I was led back to my room. The fool didn't realize I could have killed him with almost no effort every time he came near me.

Chantelle was full of her own self-importance and was easy to manipulate. She thought because she was the one doing the beating, she was the one in charge. She didn't realize how much information she gave out with very little prompting. I had nothing to do but think about everything she revealed to me during our little "chats" while I waited for Sergei to arrive.

It turns out, Chantelle and Sergei had been working together for quite some time. While Sergei had started out as a flesh peddler in common brothels in Eastern Europe, he had recently expanded into a more exclusive market dealing in high end acquisitions for wealthy patrons who weren't interested in finding companions in a more conventional manner. The buyer would contact Sergei with a 'wish list' of sorts for the man or woman the buyer was interested in acquiring. Sergei would then pass the requirements along to Chantelle and she would work as his 'personal shopper'.

Chantelle's celebrity lifestyle gave her access to people all over the world who were eager to be a part of her rarified circle. While most victims were taken from nightclubs and busy public venues where their disappearance wouldn't immediately be noticed, she and her brother were constantly on the prowl for new victims.

In return, Sergei supplied Chantelle's more low life clientele with a steady stream of young, Eastern European girls who were told they were coming to the United States to work as domestic help, either as maids or nannies. Once they arrived in America, they were forced to work in the sex trade. From experience, I knew these girls would be beaten and raped until they felt they had no choice; or they would be hooked on drugs so they would do whatever they had to in order to get their next fix. It was a sad scenario repeated far too often in many countries around the world.

Chantelle had also shared that I had Joe Morelli to thank for my captivity and, by virtue of blowing my cover, for leading Sergei to Stephanie. Though I was a trained killing machine, my moral code didn't allow me to kill out of anger or revenge. Outside of a mission, the only time I had killed was in defense of myself or my team, or my Babe. Killing a madman who was intent on killing Steph certainly fell within my code.

I had seriously reconsidered my position on killing in Morelli's case, but I finally concluded killing him would be letting the moron off too easily. His death wouldn't have been quick, and it definitely wouldn't have been painless, but I had decided there were better ways of getting my revenge. Plus, I knew that, despite the danger he had put her in, Stephanie would never forgive me for killing the man who had been a part of her life for so long. Her gentle and forgiving heart is was one of the things that made her such a remarkable person.

Chantelle and her minions were amateurs, but I was a professional and I had a mission to complete. Learning that Sergei was the ringleader of the international operation was what I had been sent to do. The final mission directive was to take out the leader of the sex trafficking operation. In completing my mission, I would also get the satisfaction of settling an old score. It had never set well with me to walk away after Nicolai died, but we had been recalled with no explanation.

Now, I was in a position to complete both this mission and that aborted mission. To do that, all I had to do was wait for Sergei to arrive. So, I had been biding my time and hoping Tank and Rangeman would keep Steph safe.

This morning when the minion had returned me from my trip down the hall, he had ordered me to sit in a straight backed chair positioned across the room from the bed I had been laying on during my captivity. Another, more comfortable looking chair was pulled out of the corner and positioned so it was facing my seat. My hands were handcuffed behind my back so I decided to use my time waiting to loosen the spindles on the back of the chair in which I was seated.

It couldn't have been more than an hour later when the door to my room was opened and in walked Sergei's muscle, Boris. After doing a quick visual sweep of the room, Boris stepped aside and Sergei walked in. His eyes lit on me sitting naked and cuffed in the chair and a slow, evil smile spread across his face.

Sergei was not a small man when I had first encountered him, and the rich life of a Russian mobster had only made him larger. It was obvious he enjoyed the finer things in life, and not in moderation. He moved his large girth to the chair that had been pulled from the corner and lowered himself heavily into the seat.

"I see Chantelle has been having her fun. I hope you have enjoyed her delicate touch. I won't be as gentle with your woman." Looking over at Boris who was standing guard by the door, Sergei commanded, "Bring her to me."

I couldn't waste time wondering how they had gotten their hands on Steph, but there would be hell to pay for Tank and the others who had allowed her to be taken. Right now, I needed to stay focused on what was happening in this room. I not only had to make my own escape after killing Sergei, I had to get my Babe out as well.

The door opened and Boris walked in leading Stephanie by the arm. Her hands were bound behind her back and I could see some bruising on her mouth and cheek. There was blood on her neck and shirt, but it appeared to be dried so I didn't think it was anything serious. Sergei nodded once and Boris pulled a large knife out of the sheath on his belt. I saw Steph stiffen as Boris moved behind her, but then her arms were free and she was shaking them to get the blood flowing again. Sergei looked Steph over appreciatively and then nodded once more to Boris.

"Leave us." Sergei barked.

As soon as the door closed behind Boris, Steph stalked over to me and slapped me across the face with all of her might and shrieked, "You bastard! Why couldn't you just leave me alone?"

"Enough! I didn't come here to watch you two have a lover's spat." Sergei growled.

Steph turned on him and snarled, "He is not my lover. He's a freakin' stalker, that's what he is."

Sergei looked from Stephanie to me and asked, "Is she not your woman?"

Before I could respond Stephanie said, "No, I'm not his woman. But he tells everyone I am. He says it's to 'protect me'," air quotes included, "but I never agreed to any of this. All I ever wanted was a little training and a part time job. Instead, this guy becomes fixated on me and now every psycho and whack job comes after me to get to him."

Sergei looked at her for a moment and then smirked. "Prove it."

I remained quiet. Stephanie obviously had something in mind and I didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize her plan.

"What?" she asked.

"Prove it. Prove that he means nothing to you."

Steph looked from Sergei to me and asked, "How?"

Sergei stood and pulled a gun from the back of his waistband. "Shoot him."

Stephanie's pale skin turned a ghostly shade of white. "You want me to shoot him? Shoot a man sitting tied to a chair? I can't just shoot someone in cold blood, no matter how much I hate them."

"Do it, or I will shoot you. Shoot him and I will let you live." Sergei was obviously enjoying his new game. He waved the gun in at Stephanie and she slowly reached out to take weapon. My first thought was that she would take the gun from Sergei and then use it against him. I was surprised to see her turning slowly back towards me.

Lifting the gun and assuming an obviously well practiced, two handed stance, she pointed the weapon at me. I remained completely still as I watched her exhale and slowly pulled the trigger. The hollow click seemed to echo through the room, followed by Sergei's booming laugh.

"You didn't think I would be stupid enough to hand you a loaded weapon, did you? Do you take me for an idiot?" Sergei asked.

I locked eyes with Stephanie, wondering what was going on behind those beautiful blue eyes, but I couldn't read anything in her expression. I know she thinks I have ESP. In reality, she usually wears all her emotions so clearly on her face all I have to do is look at her to know what is going through her mind. Unfortunately for me, today was the day she had finally mastered my blank face.

There was only a slight trembling in her hand as she lowered the weapon and turned back to Sergei. She set the gun on top of the nearby dresser and moved to stand in front of Sergei. Placing both palms on his chest, she slowly slid them up his body and around his neck, and leaned her body into his.

In a husky voice, she said "I'm an opportunist, Sergei. I think you and I could work out an arrangement that would be mutually ...satisfying. What better way to prove that I don't give a damn about him than by showing him how much I don't want him." With that, she pulled his mouth down to hers and started grinding suggestively against him and I wondered what the hell my Babe was up to.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Once again, I must say a huge thank you to all who have reviewed, followed and favorited this story. You validate my efforts and make it all that much more enjoyable for me. The story continues to evolve even as I write, and your comments and ideas are great fodder for my creative fire.

Anything recognizable belongs to JE.

Chapter 11

The Russian muscle led me up the stairs to a closed door down near the far end of the hallway. I wasn't sure what to expect when the door opened but I wasn't prepared to see a naked Ranger. It took all my control not to gasp when I saw the bruises and lash marks that marred his sculpted chest and abdomen. I was relieved to see the injuries didn't appear to be life threatening and knew he would be able to leave under his own power. Now that I knew for sure Ranger was here, I needed to come up with a plan to get us out of here. I was still hoping the team from Rangeman that was supposed to be following Sergei was going to show up, but I didn't want to rely on that.

Muscle Man drew a large knife from the sheath on his belt and stepped behind me. I tensed but then felt the blade slide between my wrists, cutting the ropes that bound me. I assumed the fat guy in the chair was Sergei when he ordered Muscle Man to leave us. As the door closed behind him, I suddenly knew what I was going to do. I just hoped it would work.

Stalking over to Ranger, I slapped him as hard as I could as I yelled at him. "You bastard! Why couldn't you just leave me alone?" Holy crap, I just slapped Batman. If Sergei didn't kill me, Ranger was going to ship me off to Siberia in my underwear. Continuing my ploy, I tried to convince Sergei that Ranger was nothing to me. When Sergei handed me the gun, my first instinct was to turn it on Sergei to protect Ranger. However, my spidey sense told me something didn't feel right, so I decided to take a chance.

Praying that the training I had been doing at the gun range wouldn't desert me, I assumed a two handed stance and pointed the gun at Ranger. I aimed for his arm, just in case. I hoped Ranger would forgive me as I sent a silent plea heavenward, exhaled and pulled the trigger. The click and the laughter that followed was almost enough to make me lose my mind, but I knew I had to keep it together. Trying to control the trembling in my arms, I lowered the weapon and set it on a nearby dresser.

I moved to stand in front of Sergei. I forced myself to reach out and run my hands up his chest and wrap them around his neck. Using what I hoped was a sex kitten voice, I said, "I'm an opportunist, Sergei. I think you and I could work out an arrangement that would be mutually ...satisfying. What better way to prove that I don't give a damn about him than showing him how much I want you." Then I pulled his mouth down to mine.

The kiss instantly deepened and his thick tongue was pushing into my mouth. He tasted of stale cigarettes and garlic. Willing myself not to gag, I ground myself against him as the kiss continued. He twined his hands into my hair and pulled me harder against his mouth. Slipping my hands from around his neck, I ran them over his bloated body, feeling for weapons as I went. He was too fat for me to reach all the way around, but I was counting on the empty gun he had handed to me being the only one he had tucked in his back.

I hadn't found any other weapons, but I knew he wouldn't have come unarmed. Thinking about places I knew Ranger kept weapons, I ran my foot up and down his leg several times and felt an ankle holster. Bingo. Now I just needed to get the gun.

I moved my hand down over his stomach and started caressing him through the front of his trousers. He growled with pleasure as I stroked him through the fabric, finally releasing my head enough so I could break the kiss. I gave him what I hoped was a sexy smile while I opened his pants. I freed him from his boxer shorts and slid down on my knees in front of him. He smelled of sweat and urine and I wondered how long it had been since this man had bathed. Forcing the bile back down, I tried not to retch as I wrapped my hand around his semi-erect member and glanced up at him from my position on the floor.

Sergei was watching Ranger watch me, so I continued to stroke him with one hand while I lowered the other to his ankle holster. Before he realized what I was doing, I had his weapon locked and loaded with the muzzle digging into his balls.

"Make a sound and I'll pull the trigger." I said as I rose up off the floor.

Sergei smirked and asked, "Are you sure that gun is loaded?"

"Would you like me to pull the trigger so can we find out?" I replied with more confidence that I felt. Digging the gun harder into his groin I ordered, "Sit down."

He stepped back and settled heavily into the chair he had been sitting in when I arrived. "I like you," he said. "You will come to Russia with me and I will give you every luxury you could possibly want." He nodded toward Ranger "Whatever he has given you, I will give you threefold."

Keeping my eyes and gun trained on Sergei, I moved over to where Ranger was sitting. As I moved behind him, I glanced down and gasped at the damage to his back. The raised welts covered him from his shoulder blades down as far as I could see. Several of them had broken open and some were still oozing blood.

His hands had been cuffed together and a second set of handcuffs had been used to secure him to the spindles on the straight back chair in which he was sitting. Ranger had worked the back spindles free so he was no longer chained to the chair, but the cuffs were still securing his hands behind his back.

Taking advantage of my momentary distraction, Sergei shouted for Boris. The door to the room flew open instantly and the Russian muscle filled the door frame, gun in hand. Without thinking, I turned the gun from Sergei to Boris and fired off two fast rounds. I was aiming for his massive chest and the first bullet entered on the upper left-hand side of his chest. The second bullet caught him in the neck before he fell back into the hallway.

Seeing the amount of blood pulsating out of the unconscious man's neck, I knew he would be dead before help could arrive. I turned my aim back to Sergei without comment. I knew once the adrenaline wore off and I had to deal with the fact that I had once again taken a human life there would be an emotional breakdown, but I didn't have time for that right now.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Ranger stand slightly and pull his cuffed hands down past his backside before returning to the chair. I kept my eyes and gun trained on Sergei as Ranger bent himself in half and slid his hands down around his legs and brought his cuffed hands to the front of his body.

Ranger stood up and calmly walked over to Sergei's chair, being careful not to enter my line of fire. Sergei maintained eye contact with Ranger the entire time, even tipping his head back slightly to continue holding his gaze as Ranger stood over him. Reaching his cuffed hands forward, Ranger grasped Sergei's head and twisted sharply. There was a sickening crunch and Ranger said softly, "I'll see you in hell."

I turned and retched, but fortunately there was nothing in my stomach to throw up. Taking several deep breaths through my nose, I met Ranger's eyes and nodded to let him know I was okay. Ranger walked quietly to the door and gave a quick glance out into the hallway. He grabbed the gun from Boris's lifeless hand and motioned for me to follow him. We made our way slowly and silently down the hall, clearing rooms as we passed them. I was fairly certain there were no other bad guys in the house or they would have come running when I shot Boris. As we cleared the last room there was a creaking sound from the stairway. Ranger and I crouched down on opposite sides of the hall. Both our weapons were trained on the man's head as it came into view.

"Santos, you're either getting careless or fat." Ranger said as Lester continued up the stairs followed by Tank.

"It wasn't me, it was the big guy behind me. Tank was just living up to his name." Lester said with a grin. Tank did not look amused by Lester's comment.

"Downstairs is clear. No tangos found. Morelli is secured outside with Vince and Binkie." Tank reported with his typical military efficiency. Keying his throat mike Tank radioed the team that Ranger and I had been found and told Cal to bring the emergency blanket from the SUV. As Tank used a universal key to remove the cuffs from Ranger's wrists, Lester came over to me and wrapped an arm around me. "Let's get you out of here, Steph." I flipped the safety on and handed the gun to Tank before allowing Lester to lead me down the stairs. As we reached the foyer, Cal walked in carrying a reflective emergency blanket and a small black duffel. He nodded to Les and Lester gave a little head bob to indicate that Tank and Ranger were upstairs.

We stepped out of the townhouse and walked over to the black Expedition parked directly in front of the building. The back door was open and I could see Joe in the back seat holding a cold pack to his face. My first impulse was to make sure he was okay, but then I remembered how he had sold Ranger out. I heard his plaintive whine of "Cupcake" as I moved toward the back of the SUV. Lester followed me and wrapped comforting arms around me as we stood waiting for the others.

"Are you okay, Steph?" he asked quietly.

I nodded against his chest. I was for now. I knew that would change when I was alone and could fall apart without watchful eyes upon me. But for now, I would use my powers of denial to keep it together. I looked up at Les and asked, "How did you find me? They found all my trackers."

Lester's face darkened as his hand came up to brush against the dried blood that was still on my neck. "It was your work from last night. We wasted too much time waiting for your trackers to move from the parking garage at Newark airport. When we finally realized we had lost you, we scrambled extra teams to follow Sergei. We knew he would lead us to Ranger and, we hoped, you. Sergei's entourage loaded into several vehicles and left New York using multiple routes. We hadn't been able to get close enough to see which vehicle Sergei was in, so we had no choice but to follow all of them. This split the team up so much it was difficult to follow without being seen. Vince and Binkie were tailing the car that came to Newark, but lost sight of it in traffic."

"We had nothing else to go on, so we decided to check out the townhouse you had found during your research. We had just started assembling when we heard shots fired. Not knowing what we were walking into, we came in silent and found Morelli in the salon. You know the rest." Lester continued to hold me as we stood in silence and I processed what had happened.

It wasn't long before Ranger, Tank and Cal joined us on the sidewalk. The duffel must have held a change of clothes, because Ranger was now dressed in black sweatpants, t-shirt and trainers. I tried not to think about how the shirt must be sticking to the wounds on his back, or the pain he must be in as he moved. I stepped away from Lester and moved towards Ranger, not sure what I was going to do but wanting to assure myself that he was okay.

Ranger locked eyes with me with his blank face in place. "Get them out of here. Now." he growled. Then he moved off toward the second SUV parked down the street, leaving me standing there with my mouth agape.

A/N:

Tango = military term for terrorist or enemy


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I really can't tell you how much I enjoy reading your thoughts and comments. Thank you to all who leave a review or follow or favorite this story. Unlike my previous stories, this one is literally being posted as each chapter is completed. While I think I know where this is going, sometimes the story takes on a life of its own when a reviewer's comment sparks something in my brain - so keep those reviews coming!

Chapter 12

In all the time I had known Ranger, he had never treated me with anything other than respect. Sure, I had exasperated him at times, and probably driven him a little crazy, but he had always been supportive. His control was legendary and the barely controlled rage with which he had spoken was more disconcerting than his words. I could understand why he was angry with Morelli, but I didn't understand why he was angry with me. Was he mad that I had slapped him? Or was it because of what I had done to distract Sergei?

Lester guided me to the front, passenger door and motioned for Binkie to get in the back with Joe. I settled myself into the seat and looked back to Lester, hoping he had some explanation for what was going on. He gave me a small shake of his head, and I realized he didn't want to talk about it in front of Joe.

"We need to get your neck checked out, Steph. Vince, drop Morelli off at this house and then take her to St. Francis." Lester said.

"No, I don't need to go to the hospital. They used a knife to remove the tracker but I don't think the cut is that deep. I'll clean it up when I get home." I hated hospitals and there was no way I wanted anyone from the Burg to see me like this.

"You won't be able to see what you're doing to take care of that. Tell you what, come back to Rangeman and we'll have Bobby take a look at it. If he thinks you need stitches, we'll talk about it then."

I nodded, knowing I wasn't going to win this one but happy not to head straight to the emergency room. Lester stepped back to close the door but paused to say, "You did a good job, Steph. You kept your head and executed, even when you had no back-up. I'd have you on my team any day." With that, he shut the door and turned back towards the other SUV.

"What a crock of shit." Joe sounded a bit nasally as he continued to hold the cold pack to his face. I had the fleeting thought that the least he deserved was to have his nose broken. When no one responded to his statement, I guess Joe took that to mean we wanted to hear what asinine thing he had to say. "How can he say you did a good job? You were kidnapped and almost raped and murdered."

I turned around to look at him over my shoulder. "I was supposed to be kidnapped. That was the plan. What was your excuse?" My question was met with silence so I continued. "You are the one who put me in danger of being raped and killed. In fact, you were the one who created this whole fiasco when you gave up Ranger. Fortunately, we were able to get him out, but at what cost? You didn't see what they did to him. He was flogged, Joe. He was beaten and whipped, and that is on you."

"Bullshit, Cupcake. He knew what he signed up for when he started this job. Anyone in his line of work knows this is the chance you take…." Suddenly Joe quit talking and slumped to the side. I craned my neck further around and saw Binkie trying to look innocent while holding a stun gun. I gave him a big smile and settled back in my seat. The adrenaline had worn off and I was suddenly exhausted. I felt something on my shoulder and glanced back to see Binkie was offering me a jacket from the back seat. Smiling my thanks, I spread it over me like a blanket and closed my eyes to rest.

I woke up as we pulled up in front of Joe's house on Slater Street. I stared out the front windshield as Vince shifted the vehicle into park and popped the locks on the doors. Hearing no movement from the backseat, I finally glanced back to see a silently seething Joe glaring at me. "Last chance, Steph. Get out of this car with me now, or we're done."

I looked at him in disbelief. "Joe, we were done the second you gave up Ranger to try to save your own ass."

"That just proves he is more important to you than I am." Joe said in disgust.

"You've got it all wrong Joe. I can trust Ranger. He will always have my back. As a matter of fact, I can trust every one of the guys at RangeMan to have my back. I can't say that about you. You'd probably sell out your mother if it meant saving your own skin. Get out, Joe. We're done."

"Yeah, he sure had your back when he kicked you to the curb in Newark." he scoffed before opening the door. "You'll miss me, Cupcake. And when you come crawling back like you always do, I won't be waiting." Joe got out of the SUV and slammed the door behind him. I waited to feel something - sadness, heartache, maybe even regret, that someone who had been a part of my life for so long no longer had a place in it. I found it a little disturbing that I didn't really care.

Vince put the car in gear and pulled away from the curb. I asked him to drop me off at my apartment, but we headed to Haywood instead. I should have known he wouldn't let me out of my promise to Lester.

We got back before Bobby, so Vince grabbed the industrial sized first aid kit out of the control room and we went down to his apartment on four. I had stayed very briefly in one of the employee apartments but I had never been to one occupied by one of the guys. I was curious to see if they kept their homes as cool and impersonal as Ranger kept his apartment on seven. I was surprised at how comfortable Vince's apartment felt. He had a couple of overstuffed chairs that faced an impressive large screen television. There were several different gaming consoles and rows of movies and games lined up neatly on the shelves below. I took a moment to peruse the titles and was not surprised to find they were all war games and action movies.

"Let's get you cleaned up so Bobby can see how bad it is." Vince suggested and he indicated that I should precede him into the bathroom. I leaned over the sink with my head turned to the side so my hair would fall out of the way. Vince wet a clean washcloth with warm water and gently washed the dried blood from my neck. He was careful on to get too close to the cut and I was amazed at his almost delicate touch.

We heard one sharp rap on the door and then heard the door opening. "We're in the bathroom." Vince called out just before Bobby walked into view. Vince rinsed the cloth out one more time and then set it aside. There was no way we were all going to fit in the bathroom at the same time so Bobby stepped aside so Vince could exit. Vince stood in the doorway as Bobby placed the ginormous first aid kit on the closed toilet lid. He pulled on a pair of latex before pushing my hair up out of the way to get a better look. I felt awkward bent over the sink, but Bobby didn't seem to mind.

"The cut doesn't look very deep. It looks like they stopped digging when they got to the tracker. I am going to clean it out and use a butterfly bandage to try to pull the sides together as best as I can, but you're still going to have a small scar." Bobby explained.

I wasn't concerned about the scar. It would be under my hair most of the time anyway and if it meant I didn't have to go to the hospital for stitches I was okay with that. I tried not to wince as Bobby gently cleaned the wound. Once he was satisfied that it was as clean as it was going to get, he applied an antibiotic ointment before pulling it closed with the butterfly bandage. Over that, he added a waterproof bandage so I could take a shower.

"You've got quite a bump on the back of your head. What happened?" he asked as he gentled probed the bump on the back of my skull. Now that the cut on my neck was taken care of, Bobby had me standing before him so he could assess the rest of my injuries.

"Chantelle pushed be backwards into a desk, but I'm okay now. No headache or dizziness." I didn't think it was necessary to mention losing consciousness, I wouldn't want to make Bobby worry. Besides, then he would make me go to the hospital for sure. At that moment, the beast in my stomach chose to make an appearance.

"Vince, go to the break room and grab some of Ella's soup and a sandwich for Steph. And grab a bottle of water, too."

As soon as we heard the door shut Bobby stopped with the exam and leaned back to look me in the eye. "I'm sorry to do this Steph, but I need to know. Were you sexually assaulted?"

Now I understood why Bobby sent Vince to get the food rather than having Ella bring it down. He knew this would be a difficult question for me and was trying to make it as easy as possible on me. I felt the heat rise in my face as I glanced down and shook my head no. "Steph, it's nothing to be ashamed of, but if you were we need to have you treated."

"No, Bobby. Nothing more than some heavy groping through my clothes. I don't need a rape kit." He just nodded and continued to examine my cuts and bruises until Vince returned with a bowl of Ella's hearty vegetable soup and a turkey sandwich on a multigrain roll.

Bobby finished up his exam and rubbed some arnica cream on my worst bruises before packing up the first aid kit. He told me to call if I developed a fever or noticed the area around my cut getting red. Then he told me to eat and asked Vince to drive me home when I was ready. I sat at the breakfast bar in Vince's kitchen and tried to eat, but I suddenly felt the events of the last twenty four hours catching up with me. It was hard to believe that it was only a day ago that we had found out Ranger was missing.

"Vince, I think I'm ready to go home now. I'll take the soup and sandwich with me and eat it later. Right now, I just need to shower and be in my own space." I explained.

We packed up my soup in a plastic container Vince found in the cupboard (who knew Merry Men had Tupperware?) and wrapped up my sandwich in some plastic wrap. I followed Vince down to the garage and piled into the Ford Explorer he beeped open. The ride to my apartment was spent in silence and I didn't protest when Vince walked me to my apartment and checked it for bad guys. Once it was deemed bad guy free, I was allowed to enter.

Thanking Vince for the ride, I closed and locked the door behind him. I didn't need to peek through the peephole to know he would be standing outside my door until he heard the chain slide into place.

I put the soup and sandwich in the refrigerator for later and opened the bottle of water. I took several deep pulls from the bottle before making my way into the bathroom. I stripped off the shirt and yoga pants the Things had made me put on and stuffed them into the trash. I turned the shower on as hot as I could stand it before stepping in and pulling the shower curtain closed. As the near scalding hot water flowed over me, I grabbed the loofah and started scrubbing. I felt dirty, but no matter how hard I scrubbed, I couldn't feel clean again. I had been groped. I had kissed and fondled a man as a distraction. I had killed a man.

I don't remember when I started to cry as I continued to scrub at my skin as hard as I could, but suddenly I was sobbing so hard I started retching. I found myself sinking down on my knees in the tub with the water flowing over me as I threw up the water I had just drank and then continued dry heave when there was nothing left.

I was still kneeling in the tub when the water turned cold but I couldn't make myself move. Then, the water was off and the shower curtain was pulled aside and I was being wrapped in a towel and lifted from the tub. The sobbing had stopped but I continued to cry softly as I was gently dried and then carried into my bedroom.

I was afraid to open my eyes because I knew this had to be a dream, but I don't ever remember a dream that felt so real. I kept my eyes closed when a soft t-shirt was pulled over my head and as I was lowered into my down turned sheets. I felt someone slide into bed beside me and when a pair of strong arms wrapped around me, I finally started to believe this wasn't a dream.

A gentle kiss was placed on the top of my damp curls. The last thing I remember hearing as I succumbed to the overwhelming pull of sleep brought on by mental and physical exhaustion was a voice whispering, "Babe."


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Once again, thank you to all of you who have left reviews, or have followed or favorited this story.

Many wondered what was going through Ranger's mind after Newark, and your comments gave rise to this chapter. Please keep those reviews and comments coming. Just when I start to get a feel for where I think we're going with this, someone posts a comment that makes my mind go "Oh, that's a thought..."

Chapter 13

Ranger POV

It took all of my control to hold myself together while I held Steph and waited for her to fall asleep. I knew I shouldn't be here. Mission protocol on this particular mission required no contact with known associates. I didn't give a damn about mission protocol right now. Everyone knew how much Steph hated hospitals and she wouldn't go unless it was absolutely necessary. I had taken a chance that she would be here and not at Morelli's house. Steph would stay in denial as long as there were others around, but she couldn't hold it back forever. At some point, she would need to process everything that had happened. I didn't want her to be alone when the events from today came crashing down on her.

When I let myself into her apartment earlier, I could hear the shower. I was surprised to find her in a heap in the bottom of the tub. I didn't know how long she had been there, but she was chilled through from the cold water still pouring from the shower head.

After I lifted her out of the tub and dried her off, I found one of my Rangeman t-shirts in her drawer and slipped it on like a nightshirt. I told myself I was just trying to warm her up as I crawled in bed with her, but I really just needed to hold her a make sure she was okay.

Bobby had put a field dressing on my wounds back in Newark, but it was still painful to lay on my back. Instead, I laid on my side and pulled her back against my front. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "Babe" slipped out like a sigh as I felt the tension leaving her body. I continued to hold her while she slept and I thought back over the events of the day.

When I had walked out of the townhouse and saw Morelli sitting in a Rangeman vehicle with a cold pack on his face, I wondered if Chantelle's men had been after the cop and conveniently found my Babe in his bed, or if they had been after Steph and took Joe as a little added insurance. It occurred to me that Steph had been working to save Morelli's worthless hide as well as mine. There was no doubt in my mind that he would have hell to pay if Steph ever found out he had given me up to save his own sorry ass.

I had an overwhelming need to get that rotten bastard out of my sight before I did something I knew I wouldn't regret, so I ordered my men to get Morelli and Steph away from the scene. My first priority was to make contact with my handler and get a sanitation crew on sight as quickly as possible. I couldn't risk the mission by having a circus waiting on the front stoop. While I sorted out the details of the clean-up, Bobby moved behind me and started dressing the wounds on my back. There must have been some skin laid open because I could feel the burn of the antiseptic as he did his best to clean me up. Gauze pads loaded with antibiotic ointment felt cool and soothing against the heat of the lash marks. I continued my conversation with my contact as Bobby taped the gauze in place.

Once Bobby had finished, I nodded my thanks to him while I continued with my briefing of what had happened and what I knew about Morelli and his part in this whole debacle. I confirmed the original target had been eliminated and was anticipating being called in to finish my debriefing in person before being released from the mission. However, life is never easy and my alphabet agency decided they wanted to pee in another alphabet agency's pool. I now had a longer mission and a new target.

From what Chantelle had told me during our little "chats," I surmised that Morelli must have been working undercover for a domestic agency, most likely the FBI. I knew he had done some undercover work with them in the past so this made the most sense. The agency I was contracting for covered international crime. It was entirely possible that the two agencies were running independent operations, and neither was aware of the other's interest in Chantelle's operation. Interagency rivalry runs rampant since they are all competing for the same budget dollars. Niceties like cooperation and communication can be almost non-existent, especially between agencies with a long history of rivalry.

Once Chantelle told me she had offered me and Steph to Sergei to gain her brother's release, I was hoping my men would keep her safe. I didn't trust that Morelli would. I didn't think he would purposefully put her in harm's way, but if it came down to protecting himself or protecting Steph, I wasn't sure what his choice would be. With my men, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that any one of them would lay down their life to protect her. And not because they had been ordered to, but because she was one of theirs.

However, knowing her capacity to find trouble, or more aptly, the capacity for trouble to find Steph, I wasn't surprised to see her brought into the room by Boris. What did surprise me was the strength behind the slap she delivered and the way she confidently held the gun as she pointed it at me. From my point of view, I could see she was aiming for my arm and not taking a kill shot, but Sergei couldn't see that. It took guts to pull the trigger and I was damn proud of my Babe.

Watching her move towards Sergei, I recognized the body language from almost every distraction I've seen her work. I still wasn't prepared for the kiss or the way she ground herself into him. That was farther than I had ever seen her take a distraction before, but she never missed a beat. I almost lost it when she started rubbing him through his trousers. I was sick with the thought that I was responsible for putting her in this position.

As she freed him and sank to her knees in front of him, I saw Sergei watching me intently to see how I would react. Steph was up to something, and if I could distract Sergei from whatever she was doing, that's what I would do. For the first time since I had awakened in this room, I dropped my blank face and let every bit of emotion I was feeling show. If Sergei wanted a reaction, then by God, he was going to see one. As she began to stroke him, I showed him the monster within my soul. And then I saw Steph slide her free hand down toward the floor.

Faster than I thought possible, Steph had the gun out of his ankle holster and crammed into his balls. He taunted her, trying to make her doubt the gun was loaded. I wondered for a split second if she would pull the trigger. Then the bastard tried to bargain with her. That was when I had had enough. But before I could make my move Steph was distracted by the wounds on my back.

Sergei used that momentary distraction to yell for Boris. As soon as Boris threw open the door my Babe turned and fired. I don't know who she has been training with, but clearly she had been putting in some serious time at the range, and her efforts showed. With Boris eliminated, I slipped my cuffed hands to the front of my body and quickly and efficiently dispatched Sergei. I would have loved to make him suffer for what he put Steph through, but I didn't have time for that.

I knew I had done irreparable damage to my relationship with Steph on this mission. Like a fool, I had allowed, and even encouraged, the superhero image she seemed to have of me. But now, the curtain had been pulled back and the Wizard had been exposed for the fraud he was. I wasn't Batman. I was a mercenary who slept with the enemy to gain information and killed men with my bare hands. A man who was was completely unworthy of a woman like my Babe.

I thought about what she had done because of me. When she knelt down in front of Sergei, I would have gladly traded places with her. I would have sucked his filthy cock dry if it meant saving her from the horror she must have been feeling. Then to follow that with the taking of a human life. Forget that it was kill or be killed. Every time you take a life, you lose another piece of your humanity, a piece of your soul. For a man like me, there isn't much soul left. But for Steph, there is still tremendous pain as that bit of soul is ripped out. And all because she was protecting me. And that ass Morelli.

That still irked me. She had obviously been manhandled before she was brought into the room with me. The blood on her neck was dried, but the bruises on her face were fresh and the split lip was recent. Why hadn't that fucking asshole protected her? What else had been done to her? I knew I could trust Bobby to give her a complete check over and he would have insisted on taking her to the hospital if she had needed to be there, but not all injuries can be seen.

She squirmed a little in her sleep as I tightened my arms around her at that thought. I forced myself to relax and kissed the top of her head once more. This seemed to calm her and she relaxed against my chest with a small sigh.

I continued to hold her as the night passed far too quickly. I knew I had to be gone before sunrise but I hated the thought of leaving. I regretted not getting the chance to talk with Tank or Lester about what had been going on with Steph while I was away, but we had to get the scene secured and then everyone out before the cleaning crew arrived. Boris and Sergei would disappear from the face of the earth and no one would ever know what had happened. I knew the agency would send someone in to try to find some trace of the women Sergei had trafficked but it would be difficult to find them. Most would probably never make it home. It still made my blood run cold to know that Steph could have been one of them.

All too soon, it was time for me to leave. Even if my mission protocol had allowed me to be here, I wasn't sure if Steph would want me in her bed after what she had seen me do. Sliding my arm out from under her, I leaned over and gently brushed the hair back from her face. Even with the bruising and the swelling, she was still beautiful. Steph's beauty came from within, and no amount of discoloration on her skin could hide that. Kissing her softly, I slid from the bed and tucked the covers in against her back. Without a backward glance, I walked out of her bedroom and stepped back into the wind.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: So sorry for the delay, but life has been a little crazy lately. I refuse to make promises I can't keep, so I'm not going to promise postings at specific intervals. I will tell you I have a good idea where we are going and will continue to post chapters as often as possible. Also, I WILL promise that I won't leave a story unfinished (I hate that!)

Thank you for your reviews, favorites and follows. I do this because you all make me believe I can. Please let me know what you think. As always, anything or anyone recognizable is not mine.

Chapter 14

I came awake slowly, feeling like I had been on a three day drunk. My head was pounding, my nose was stuffy and my mouth tasted like donkey dung. The events of the prior evening came flooding back and I didn't even need to roll over to know I was alone. There was no warm body pressed up against my back and those strong arms were long gone.

For once, I was glad he had slipped out before I was awake. The thought of having him witness my melt down brought a flush of embarrassment to my face even now. He must think I'm totally pathetic. I wasn't the one who had been undercover for months and forced to do God only knows what to maintain my cover and then who had been held and beaten for days. I was just the loser who was crumbled up in a blubbering mess at the bottom of the tub after one damn day on the job.

I crawled out of bed and made my way to the bathroom to take care of my most urgent needs and to brush my teeth. The image that greeted me in the mirror was truly horrifying. Falling asleep with damp hair is always a bad idea and this morning was no exception. On the plus side, the heat from last night's shower had really brought out the bruising on my face and my lip looked like it had been inflated with a bicycle pump. All of this really distracted the eye away from the funky hair.

I went out to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee and say good morning to Rex. While I waited for the coffee to brew, I munched on a strawberry Pop-Tart. I devoured my cardboard like pastry quickly, saving a corner to drop in Rex's bowl. Wriggling out of his soup can, Rex seemed to pause as he spied my hair, but had no comment as he stuffed his treat into his cheek and high-tailed it back to his can. This is why hamsters are better than men.

I poured myself a cup of coffee and checked the expiration date on the milk. It was only a couple days past the date, so I took my chances and added the milk and a heaping spoonful of sugar to my coffee. Taking my steaming mug into the bathroom, I decided a quick shower was the only way I was going to tame my hair.

The water stung where I had scrubbed my skin raw the night before, reminding me of last night's breakdown. Pushing those thoughts away, I stuck my head under the spray. I worked through a large dollop of conditioner and used my fingers to try to untangle my curls before rinsing my hair and turning off the taps. There was only one clean towel on the shelf, reminding me that I had to do laundry soon. I grabbed the towel and used it to dry myself before wrapping my hair up in it.

I opened the bathroom door and shivered as a rush of cool air poured into the warm, steamy bathroom. As I turned toward my bedroom door I heard "Damn." from the kitchen door. I screeched as I turned to see Lester standing in the doorway with a cup of coffee and a shit eating grin on his face.

Yanking the towel off my head, I wrapped the soggy cloth around my body and stormed into my bedroom with as much dignity as I could muster. I knew there was no danger of Lester intruding into my bedroom, but I closed and locked the door behind me all the same. My laundry situation became more critical as I dug through my closet trying to find clothes to wear. I finally found a t-shirt with a small jelly donut stain on the front and a pair of jeans that fit perfectly five pounds ago. I decided this was the laundry gods telling me to lay off the donuts.

Now fully dressed, I opened my door and went to find out why the hell Santos was in my apartment. I found him sitting at my dining room table drinking coffee and reading the newspaper.

I gave him my best 'Burg death glare and said, "What are you doing in my apartment drinking my coffee and seeing me naked? And whose newspaper is that?"

Lester grinned and replied, "I stopped by to check on you and poured myself a cup of coffee while I waited for you to finish your shower. Seeing you naked was just a bonus. And paper was in the hallway in front of your door, sort of. Well, maybe it was more in front of the door across the hall, but it was in front-ish of your door as well."

Here is the thing about Lester, he is incorrigible and an unapologetic flirt. But he was also loyal to a fault and one of my biggest supporters. It was impossible to stay mad at him, even when I tried. "Next time knock." I growled before heading into the kitchen to freshen my cup of coffee. Spotting a white bakery bag on the counter beside the coffee pot, I instantly forgot about the signs from the donut gods, pulled out a Boston crème and decided Lester was forgiven.

I walked back into the dining room with my donut and coffee and flopped into the second of my two dining room chairs. Since most of my meals were consumed either standing in the kitchen or sitting on the couch, my dining room went mostly unused. Lester had folded up the newspaper and was watching me intently as he sipped from his mug of coffee.

"You're freaking me out a little with the staring, Les. What's going on?" I asked between bites.

Les took another sip of his coffee before replying, "I'm wondering if you have buried yourself in deep denial or if you are handling everything better than I had hoped. Your eyes are a bit puffy, but other than that you look fine."

I snorted at his observation and said, "We need to discuss your standards for looking fine. I look like a Technicolor freak show. But I am fine. I had a minor breakdown last night but Ranger came by and that helped."

As I said this, Lester's blank face fell into place. "What do you mean, 'Ranger came by'?" he asked.

I didn't want to admit how badly I had fallen apart the night before, so I gave Les an edited version. "He showed up late and held me until I fell asleep. He was gone before I woke up this morning. We didn't even talk. I was going to go in early to Rangeman today so I could apologize for losing it last night. He must think I'm a complete loser."

"Steph, Ranger is still in the wind. He couldn't have come by here last night. It would have been against mission protocol and it's not like Ranger to disobey a direct order. Are you sure you didn't just dream Ranger was here?" I could see concern replacing Lester's blank face as he asked me this question.

Now I was in a quandary. If I insisted Ranger was here, I might cause trouble for him. I didn't know about missions and protocols and orders, but I did know Ranger showed up when I needed him. Lester was giving me an out with the dream question but then the guys might wonder if I had lost my marbles. Deciding they probably already thought I was a little crazy, I allowed, "It certainly felt real last night. But I guess if Ranger is still in the wind, it must have been a dream."

Lester looked relieved and I knew I had made the right decision. If Ranger was not supposed to be here last night, I would keep his secret. I knew in my heart and mind he was here, and that was all that mattered.

After Lester left, I grabbed my make-up and put a lot of effort into trying to hide the bruises on my face. I was out of clean clothes and I was hoping if I stopped by my parent's house for lunch, my mother would offer the use of her washer. There wasn't much I could do about the split lip, but the swelling seemed to be going down and it already looked better than it had when I woke up.

I gathered up my laundry and loaded it into the back of my latest POS car. I knew Tank had deposited my capture fee from Marcel Chagall into my account, but I hadn't had time to go car shopping yet. My current ride was a seven year old SUV that was easy enough to get a skip in and out of and didn't consume oil at an alarming rate. I knew it was just a matter of time before something happened to it, so I didn't feel the need to rush out to replace it just because I had the means to.

Stopping by the bonds office, I picked up two new files from Connie and caught up on the latest gossip. It seems Joyce Barnyard had been caught having a nooner with the mayor's wife. This wouldn't have been especially juicy gossip except that it came out she was also involved with the mayor and his barely legal son. After a full body shiver and a heartfelt "EWWW," I opened up the first of the two files Connie had handed me.

Bernice Myzak was 78 years old and wanted for assault. Horace Greene had been seated next to Bernice at the VFW during Thursday night bingo. Horace was 84 years old and had just received his order for a male enhancement 'intimacy package' and was anxious to try it out. He had gone to bingo hoping to hook-up with one of the more adventurous ladies in attendance. What Horace failed to take into account was the seriousness with which these women approach a game of bingo. When Horace's more racy suggestions caused Bernice to miss the "B17" that was called and someone else called "Bingo" before she could, she started pummeling Horace with her cane. When her friends were finally able to pull Bernice off Horace, he had a goose egg sized knot on his head and what was later determined to be a hairline fracture in his left arm.

I decided to check with Grandma Mazur to see if she knew Bernice and opened the second file. Frankie Salazar had been in Valerie's class in high school. Frankie was accused of public intoxication and being drunk and disorderly. Generally that isn't a big deal, but while he was drunk Frankie decided to get behind the wheel and drive. Fortunately, no one was injured when Frankie had crashed the vehicle into a lamp post. Unfortunately for Frankie, he had chosen as his ride an unmarked police vehicle. This added grand theft auto and destruction of public property to his list of crimes.

If you can catch a drunk sleeping off the prior night's bender, it makes taking them into custody pretty simple. If they are hung over enough, they won't run, but you run the risk of having them puke in the back seat. The bond agreement showed Frankie lived by himself in a row house just outside the Burg, so I decided to stop by and see if Frankie was home. Hopefully I would be able to pick him up and take him in before heading over to my mother's house to do some laundry and talk to Grandma about Bernice.

I parked a couple of houses down from Frankie's and tucked my gun in my back holster. I slipped my pepper spray into my front pocket and my cuffs were hanging out of my back pocket where I could grab them easily. I studied the house as I walked up the street and climbed the steps to the small stoop in front of the door. There was no movement behind the curtains and I didn't hear anything from inside.

I knocked on the door and waited a moment before knocking again. The third time was more of a pounding than a polite knock, but I was rewarded with a man's voice yelling "Coming" from behind the door. I stood just to the side of the door where I couldn't be seen through the window or the peephole. The door was thrown open and a rather scruffy looking Frankie Salazar glared at me. I plastered a fake smile on my face and said, "My name is Stephanie Plum. I work for Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. You missed your court date and I'm here to take you down to reschedule." As I was talking, I stepped forward and placed my foot in the door to prevent Frankie from slamming it shut.

"I know who you are, bitch, and I'm not going anywhere with you. Those charges were bogus. It wasn't my fault Morelli left his piece of shit cop car sitting there with the keys in the ignition. If he hadn't been so eager to get his tongue down Terry Gilman's throat I never would have taken his car for a spin. If you ask me, that fucker should be the one paying the city back, not me."

With that, Frankie gave me a shove backwards and tried to slam the door shut. Poor Frankie underestimated the strength of one extremely pissed off bounty hunter. Despite the shove, I was able to keep my foot in the door and launched myself into Frankie's midsection. Years of poor eating and booze had taken their toll on Frankie and he folded as my shoulder drove the air from his lungs. While he was still bent over double I stood up and drove my elbow into the back of his neck, knocking him to the ground. While he laid there struggling to breath, I straddled his back and pulled an arm behind his back. I quickly secured the bracelet on the first wrist before pulling the second arm back and securing the other wrist.

Frankie was still gasping for air as I pulled him to his feet and marched him out to my car. He continued to curse and call me every name in the book as I drove the short distance to the police station. I considered using my stun gun on him just to shut him up, but I didn't want him peeing in my car if he lost control of his bladder when he was shocked.

Carl Costanza and Big Dog were coming out as I pulled up to the receiving door. "What 'cha got, Steph?" Carl asked.

"Frankie Salazar." At the mention of Frankie's name, both Carl and Big Dog suddenly looked very uncomfortable. Great, apparently I was the only one who hadn't heard about Morelli's undercover work with Terry. Both hurried away without another word. With a sound of disgust, I wretched open the back door and grabbed Frankie's arm to haul him out of the car. I walked him up to the desk sergeant, cuffed him to the intake bench and collected my body receipt. As I was walking toward the door I heard my cousin-in-law Eddie call my name. I considered ignoring him in case he was looking for a babysitter, but I decided that was too mean. I turned and waited for him to catch up.

"Hey, Steph. How are things?" he asked.

"Going okay, Eddie. What's up?" Eddie was a good friend as well as being related by marriage, but it wasn't like him to just stop and chat.

"There's some talk on the street and I was wondering if you might know something about it." he replied. I'm sure I looked confused as Eddie continued. "Word on the street is Joe can't be trusted. I've heard that from two different informants this morning and others are hearing the same thing. Something to do with Manoso. Ranger has way more street cred than Joe, and if there is going to be a loyalty war between the two, Ranger will win hands down. Makes it hard for a man like Joe to do his job if he doesn't have snitches."

It would have been difficult for Ranger to get the dirt on Joe out on the street so quickly, especially when he had been with me most of the night. Plus, that didn't feel like something Ranger would do. He would handle things more discreetly. However, many of the Merry Men had contacts on the streets and it sounded like they had been busy last night. I decided to give Eddie the condensed version.

"Joe and Ranger were both working undercover but from different sides of the job. Joe gave up Ranger to try to protect himself. It didn't work and the whole operation went to hell. I can't tell you much more than that, but I can tell you I think Joe would be willing to throw anyone to the wolves to save his own ass."

"Damn, Steph, that's cold. Cops are supposed to look after their own. I know Ranger isn't a cop, but he fights on the same side we do. Joe never should have done that." Eddie said, shaking his head in disgust.

I agreed. Asking Eddie to pass along my regards to his wife, Shirley the whiner, I left out the door I had come in. I didn't think Joe was at the station, but I didn't want to run the risk of bumping into him if he was. I made it out to my SUV without incident and headed for my parent's house.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: The world has gone mad and I hope you are all holding up okay.

Thank you for all your wonderful support. I hope you enjoy and I look forward to reading every one of your reviews. Usual disclaimer applies.

Chapter 15

Grandma Mazur was standing at the door when I pulled up in front of the semi-detached home I grew up in. I used to think she had some kind of radar that alerted her to the approach of family, but now I think she just likes to stand at the door to see what's happening on the street. After all, this is the Burg, and anything that happens in view of the neighbors is fair game for the gossip mongers.

She held the door open for me as I carried my overflowing laundry basket into the house. "You're just in time, Steph. Your mom and I were just getting ready to have some lunch. We've got cold cuts from Giovichinni's."

"Thanks, Grandma. I need to see if I can do some laundry while I'm here, too." I said, moving past her and further into the house.

"Leave it and I'll do it for you. I've got nothing going on this afternoon, unless you need some help with a take down or something." she said hopefully.

I smiled at the thought and replied, "Sorry, Grandma, I'm not going after anyone else today. But, I bet you could help me with some information. Do you know Bernice Myzak?"

"Sure, I know Bernice. Could never understand why she took to beating on that poor man. At our age, it's hard to find a man who can still function, let alone one with an intimacy enhancement kit. You can play bingo most any time."

That mental image produced a full body shiver before I continued toward the kitchen at the back of the shotgun style house. I said hello to my mother and sat down at the small kitchen table as she pulled the making for the sandwiches from the refrigerator. I knew better than to try to help without being asked. The kitchen was my mother's domain. While she and my grandmother had a routine that almost appeared choreographed and were able to both work in the same small space with ease, I would only get in the way.

Before long we were all seated. We each had our sandwiches of olive loaf and provolone between slices of worthless white bread that had been slathered with mustard and mayonnaise. Macaroni salad was spooned out onto each plate, followed by a crunchy dill pickle. Haute cuisine has no place in the Burg.

We ate in companionable silence for a few moments then Grandma said, "I've been thinking about Bernice. I'll bet you she'll be at Stiva's tonight. Louise Stancovich is being laid out and she and Bernice hated each other. I was planning on going to pay my respects."

"Why would Bernice be there if she hated Louise?" I asked before taking another bite off my kosher dill.

"They were big time bingo rivals. Always seeing who could play the most cards at the same time and trying to out yell each other when they both hit bingo on the same call. It could get downright ugly some nights. As a matter of fact, it was Louise who beat out Bernice with her bingo the night Bernice beat poor Horace with her cane."

My mother shook her head. "That poor man. Bernice beat him half to death before they were able to pull her off him. What's the world coming to when two people can't have a civil conversation over a friendly game of bingo?"

Now I have been to these bingo games and I can tell you, they are anything but friendly. The hardened players can play 20 cards at a time and they are ruthless. Horace is lucky the other players stopped long enough to pull Bernice off of him.

"Sure, Grandma. I'll give you a ride. What time should I pick you up?"

Mom replied, "Why don't you come for dinner. We're having a nice roast chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy with apple pie for dessert."

"Okay, sounds good." I finished up my lunch and put my dishes in the dishwasher.

"Make sure you invite Joseph. It's been ages since he's been able to join us." my mother added.

"Joe and I broke up, Mom. He will not be coming to anymore dinners." I said, trying hard not to snarl when I said his name.

"I'm sure it's only temporary. He is probably just waiting for you to make the first move. A dinner invitation is the perfect apology without actually having to say 'I'm sorry'." As crazy as it sounds, I'm sure that made perfect sense to my mother as she said it.

Trying to rein in my temper, I said through gritted teeth, "I have done nothing to apologize for and I have no interest in ever seeing Joe Morelli again, unless it is through the front windshield of a fast moving Buick."

"Stephanie Plum, that is not funny. You could have killed the poor boy when your foot slipped off the brake and you broke his leg all those years ago." she replied in horror.

The memory of bouncing Joe off the fender of my dad's Buick brought a small smile to my face. "If you want to know the truth, Mom, my foot didn't slip. I don't want to get into it, just know we are done for good this time."

Grandma Mazur gave me a knowing look. "You found out about the car Frankie Salazar stole, didn't you? I heard down at the Clip 'n Curl that it was Morelli's cop car and he had left the keys in it when he went to play tonsil hockey with that Gilman girl. I didn't want to believe he'd do such a thing to you, so I kept my mouth shut."

The sigh escaped before I could stop it. "It doesn't matter. I can't trust Joe and I can't be with a man who can't be trusted. Been there, done that, not doing it again. I can't be in love with someone I don't trust and respect. I'd rather be alone."

My mother practically choked when I said that. "Now Stephanie, there is no need to get dramatic. I'm sure there are plenty of nice young men out there who can be trusted. Why, just last week I heard Jimmy Novak had moved back from Philadelphia. Seems his wife had a good lawyer and she ended up with the kids, the house and the car. I'm sure the rumors of Jimmy's gambling and long weekends in Atlantic City are exaggerations. Besides, if his ex-wife took all his money, he has nothing left to lose at the craps tables."

I wasn't sure if I should be frightened of or in awe of my mother's capacity for denial. Knowing the inevitable dinner fix-up would be next, I tried to cut her off immediately. "I'm not interested, Mom. I am very happy with my life the way it is and I have no desire to waste my efforts on a man right now."

Grandma grinned, "What about the Ranger fella. I'd be willing to waste all kinds of effort on that man. I'll bet he'd never need an intimacy enhancement package. I remember the peek I got of him stepping out of the shower at that hotel in Atlantic City. That package is enhanced already."

Mixed emotions flooded through me. A hot flash of desire rolled through me at the thought of a wet, naked Ranger, followed immediately by a shiver of something bordering on horror at the thought of my grandmother focusing her efforts on him. Best not to go down that path any further.

I grabbed my purse, thanking Grandma for taking care of my laundry and promised I'd be back in time for dinner and to take Grandma to the viewing. I realized I wouldn't have time to get a workout in before my shift at Rangeman, so I decided to I headed straight for my cubicle where I kept an extra Rangeman uniform. I was hoping I'd be able to get my searches done early enough to run home and change into something more appropriate for the viewing before I headed to my parent's house for dinner. If I didn't have time to run home and change, at least I would already be dressed in black.

I settled into my chair and booted up my system. Bobby stepped into my cubicle carrying an industrial sized first aid kit just as I hit send to start the first of several searches already in my inbox. I sat there patiently while he checked the cut on the back of my neck, applied more antibiotic ointment and a new waterproof bandage. He said he was happy with the way it looked but cautioned me again to go to the doctor if I developed a fever or started experiencing increased pain at the sight of the wound. Once Bobby had left, I began printing off the information from the search that had been running and started the next one. Before I could get through all of the reports from the first search, Cal stopped by to check on me. I could see Hal was hovering just outside of the door to my cubicle waiting for his turn to make sure I was okay. This is why I loved these guys, but it was making it hard to get any work done. Finally, everyone had stopped by to reassure themselves that I was still in one piece and I was able to finish my searches for the day. I shut down my computer and grabbed my bag before making my way to Tank's office. I wanted to let him know I was leaving a little early.

His door was open so I rapped on the door frame before stepping into his office. "Hey, Tank. I have to take Grandma to a viewing tonight where I'm hoping to grab my FTA. I'm going to head out a little early so I can get changed into something that is more Burg acceptable. Have a good night" I said as I handed him the files from the searches I had completed.

"Hold up for a sec, Steph. I heard you dreamed Ranger came to your apartment last night. That it was a very realistic dream. I just wanted to make sure you knew how important it is to understand that it was just a dream. You get what I'm saying?"

The entire time he was saying this, Tank was making intense eye contact. I would have had to be a complete moron not to get what he was saying. "Yeah, sure, Tank. It was just one of those weirdly real dreams. I get that."

Tank grinned. "Good. I'm glad you had that dream to keep you company last night. We were all a little worried about you. See you tomorrow, Steph." I shook my head as I walked out of Tank's office and headed to the elevators. This secret squirrel stuff was beyond strange.

I hit every light green and made good time across town and even found a parking spot near the door of my apartment building. Smiling at my good fortune, I exchanged pleasantries with Mrs. Bestler on the elevator ride up to the second floor. I was still digging through my purse looking for the keys I had just dropped in there when the elevator doors opened. Wishing Mrs. Bestler a good day as I finally retrieved my keys from the bottom of my bag I stepped out into the landing and turned toward my apartment.

All was quiet as I entered my home. No crazed psychopaths, dead men or angry police detectives awaited me in my living room. I walked into the kitchen and dropped my bag on the counter. I tapped on Rex's tank and said hello. After dropping a piece of baby carrot in his dish I gave him fresh water and told him about my great parking karma. He rushed out and stuffed the piece of carrot into his cheek pouch then scurried back into his soup can. I made kissy noises at his retreating back side then went into my bedroom to figure out what to wear. My mother would have a fit if I showed up in my standard jeans and t-shirt to go to a viewing at the funeral home.

I quickly changed into a wine colored skirt that just brushed the top of my knees. The skirt was fitted, but not so tight that I couldn't run in it. I didn't think Bernice would bolt, but you never knew with old people. I paired the skirt with a white wrap style blouse and black faux leather jacket before slipping my feet into a pair of pumps with a 3" heel and ankle straps. They looked stylish but I would still be able to run down a 78 year old woman in them if I needed to.

By 5:30 I was in my car and headed toward the Burg. I pulled up behind my sister Val's minivan. I loved my sister and my nieces, but my parent's dining room was small and Val's family tended to fill up a small room quickly. As I walked to the door, my grandmother appeared to greet me. "Come on in, Steph. Val and the girls just got here. You can help us get dinner out onto the table."

I walked in the house, shouted a quick hello to my dad as I passed the living room, and went into the kitchen to help. Since my lack of ability in the kitchen is legendary, my version of helping in the kitchen is opening the cans of jellied cranberry sauce, sliding it out into the serving dishes and slicing the gelatinous mass along the ribs left by the can.

At precisely 6:00, my father was seated at the head of the table with his napkin tucked in under his chin and an expectant look on his face. Angie was sitting patiently in her seat with her hands folded in her lap while Mary Alice practically bounced in her chair. Baby Lisa was already strapped into a high chair, and was gnawing on some kind of baby cookie that was turning slowly to mush from all the baby slobber. My mother proudly carried the roast chicken out of the kitchen and set it on the table. She was followed by my grandmother carrying the mashed potatoes and biscuits then Valerie with the greens beans and gravy. Bringing up the rear of the dinner parade was yours truly with my cranberry contribution to the effort.

Food was passed and plates were filled with little need for conversation. If there is one thing my family excels at, it's eating. With the initial task of filling our plates completed, conversation resumed as we all began to eat.

"So, Steph, what's the plan for the take down tonight?" Grandma asked me with a gleam in her eye. I didn't want to break it to her, but there was no way in hell I was going to let her help with the take down.

"I'm going to wait by the cookie table. When Bernice comes out of the viewing I'm going to quietly introduce myself and ask her to come with me to get rescheduled." I made it sound as mundane as possible, hoping Grandma Mazur would lose interest in participating. I should have known better.

"That doesn't sound very exciting." Grandma said. "How about I create a distraction instead. Then you can grab her and nobody would be the wiser."

"No, Grandma! I don't want you to go to any trouble. If she won't come quietly, I follow her out to her car and take her into custody outside. I don't want to draw any unnecessary attention to what is going on."

Val asked who was being laid out at Stiva's. Turns out she had gone to school with Louise Stancovich's granddaughter. My mother offered to watch the girls so Val could go to the viewing with me and grandma. Dinner was eaten quickly and the plates were cleared away by 6:30. Grandma wanted to be sure to get a good seat, so we all took a rain check on dessert and piled into my car. Grandma was riding shotgun and Val climbed in the back as we drove the short distance to Stiva's.

I dropped Grandma and Val in front of the funeral home and then left to park the car. Stiva's had multiple viewings on this particular night and I had to drive two blocks before I found a space. It was another ten minutes before I made it back to the home and through the throngs of visitors that were conversing quietly in small groups in the foyer and at the back of the room. I finally found Grandma and Valerie sitting in the second row in slumber room 2. I waved to let them know I had seen them but shook my head when Grandma gestured for me to join them. She then gave a not so subtle jerk of her head in the direction of Bernice, who was staring at the casket with a malicious grin on her face. I nodded that I had seen her, then made my way back towards the cookie table.

Attending viewings is an integral part of the social life of the geriatric set in the Burg. Whether one knew the deceased or not, a viewing was the place to see and be seen. No viewing was complete without a few gossiping words exchanged over the cookie table. The current owner of Stiva's bought his cookies at Costco, and personally I didn't think the cookies themselves were worth the effort.

I thought back to when the home was owned by a gay couple named Scooter and Dave. Scooter baked fresh cookies for each viewing. That was during the time we were hunting for Scrog and Julie and Ranger was almost killed. It was also when I first admitted to myself that I love him.

I shook off those thoughts. I needed to focus on Bernice. As if I had conjured her up with my thoughts, Bernice walked out through the door of slumber room 2 and started making her way toward the cookie table. As she was making her selection from second rate offering on the tray I moved toward her. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Grandma and Valerie step out into the lobby.

"Bernice Myzak?" I asked.

"Yes, can I help you?" Bernice was looking at me as if she thought she knew me, but couldn't place the face.

"My name is Stephanie Plum and I represent Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. You missed your court date and I need to take you in and get you rescheduled." I said, reaching for her arm.

She pulled her arm out of my grasp and then whacked me in the leg with her cane.

"Ow! What'd you do that for?" I asked.

"I'm not going anywhere but home to watch my shows." Bernice said and she moved to walk past me.

As I reached for her arm once again, I heard raised voices from across the room. Glancing over, I saw Grandma Mazur and Bella Morelli toe to toe and glaring daggers at each other. Leaving Bernice with the cookies, I hurried over to try to break up the confrontation. Val was doing her best, but she was no match for the two older women.

"Your granddaughter does nothing but break my precious grandson's heart. She is no good for him." Bella was shouting.

"Now don't go getting your knickers in a knot old woman. Your precious grandson brought this on himself when he couldn't keep his lips to himself. My granddaughter deserves better than that." Grandma shouted back.

"Stop you two. It's nobody's business but mine and Joe's, and I don't want to talk about it. Come on, Grandma. Let's go." I grabbed Grandma Mazur by the arm that had her large black patent leather purse hanging off it. I didn't want to give her the chance to pull her long barrel .45 on Bella. I glanced back at the cookie table, but Bernice was gone. I was going to have to pick her up another time.

I left Grandma standing on the porch with Val while I went to get the car. I drove them back to my parents' house where my mother was standing in the door waiting for us. She had my laundry basket full of clean, neatly folded clothes and a bag with my dessert already wrapped up, along with some leftovers. I wished everyone a good night before making my way home.

I ate the piece of apple pie standing in my kitchen. I broke off a piece of crust and dropped that along with a bit of apple into Rex's dish. My day had been busy enough to keep my mind from wandering back to the night before. But now, in the quiet of my kitchen, I couldn't help but think about what had happened. Why had Ranger come to my apartment? Especially knowing he shouldn't be here. Not that Ranger really cared about the rules. He lived by his own set of rules. But what did it mean that he was willing to take that risk? I knew Ranger didn't do relationships and that he loves me in his own way, but sometimes that way was confusing as hell.

I decided trying to understand why Ranger did anything was way more that I wanted to tackle tonight. I changed into an oversized Rangeman t-shirt and brushed my teeth. Settling into bed, I grabbed my tablet from the nightstand. I opened the browser and a news headline caught my eye. _Society Party Girl Chantelle Chagal Dead from Apparent Drug Overdose._


	16. Chapter 16

A/N Anything recognizable belongs to JE.

Thank you for your continued support and reviews. I truly enjoy hearing your thoughts. I seem to spend more time day dreaming about plot lines than actually getting my thoughts down, but that's half the fun in the process. Enjoy and be safe. The world is a bit crazy right now, but we're all in this together. Take care of each other and take care of you.

Chapter 16

The ringing of my alarm clock jarred me awake. I swatted blindly at the nightstand, hoping to connect with the snooze button. No such luck, so I pried open an eye and finally found my target. It felt like I had just closed my eyes when the damn thing went off again. Grumbling and cursing to myself, I reached again for the clock, this time turning the alarm off. I was tempted to roll over and sleep a while longer, but I knew if I did I wasn't likely to wake up until noon.

I felt like I hadn't slept at all. After seeing the headline about Chantelle last night, I had read through the Page Six article several times. According to the reporter, Chantelle had an early afternoon appointment with her attorney. When the attorney arrived, one of the staff went to let Chantelle know the attorney had arrived. The staff member had found her unresponsive on her dressing room floor. Emergency personnel attempted to revive her, but it was too late. The reporter went on to say that toxicology reports were pending, but there appeared to be evidence of drugs found at the scene. The article also mentioned evidence of a second person being present, and the police were asking anyone with any information on the identity of the second person to come forward.

All night I tossed and turned, wondering if Ranger had anything to do with Chantelle's death. I knew if he was the second person mentioned in the article, the evidence was left on purpose. If Ranger didn't want anyone to know he was there, they wouldn't have found a thing. Ever since I saw him walk into the room at the Plaza, it was like I was learning about an entirely different person. I knew Ranger the bounty hunter, the businessman, the lover and the protector. Now I was meeting Ranger the mercenary, the undercover operative, the assassin. This was the man he had shielded me from. The man he had tried to warn me about. In the dark of the night as I lay tossing and turning, I remembered what Les had said about each man being a part Ranger played and I realized none of it mattered. He was still the same man I had grown to love. Nothing I had learned about him changed that.

Now I understood the qualifiers, the need to keep me at arm's length. Ranger was doing what he had always done, he was protecting me. He probably thought a white girl from the Burg couldn't handle the reality of Ricardo Carlos Manoso. I was a little insulted by his lack of faith in me, but I suppose in his life it was hard to find people who could deal with the reality of his world.

Pushing back the covers, I plodded out into the kitchen to put the coffee on before I jumped in the shower. I tapped on the side of Rex's tank to say good morning and shuffled off to the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, I was scrubbed, shaved and shampooed, and standing in the kitchen sipping my first cup of coffee while I planned my day.

I still needed to pick up Bernice and I wanted to check in with Connie to see if anything new had come in. I also wanted to be able to get a workout in before my afternoon shift. It still felt strange to be planning gym time into my day, but I was already seeing positive results from my efforts, in both my skip chasing and in the way my jeans fit. Maybe I could see if one of the guys would be willing to show me some hand to hand or self-defense stuff. Cal had already texted me about meeting at the gun range at 5:30 when his shift was over, so I knew what I was doing after work.

Finishing my first cup of coffee and pouring a second, I took it in with me as I started getting ready for my day. I decided I'd stop at Bernice's home before I went to the office. This way, I could call Connie to have her meet us at the station to re-bond Bernice so she didn't miss any of her shows or have her busy bingo schedule disrupted.

Bernice lived in a small detached home in the Burg. Her front porch was swept clean, her windows sparkled in the sun and her serene Virgin Mary statue stood like a sentinel on the front lawn. I walked onto her tidy porch and knocked on the front door. Bernice opened the door and the scent of baking coffee cake wafted out from behind her.

"May I help you?" she asked before recognizing me from the night before. "Well I never. What are you doing here?"

"As I explained last night, you missed your court date and I need to take you down to reschedule. If you'll come with me now I will have someone meet us at the courthouse to have you re-bonded. That way you won't miss any of your shows or any bingo games." I explained.

Just then a timer sounded in the back of the house. Bernice turned toward the sound and I used the distraction to step forward into the house. Bernice looked startled when she turned back and saw me standing directly in front of her with handcuffs in my hand.

"You can come peacefully or I can cuff you and march you down the walk for all the neighbors to see. Your choice." I tried to look menacing as I said this, but I wasn't sure I succeeded. One thing about women in the Burg, they cared more about what the neighbors would think than anything else.

Bernice sighed. "Let me take the coffee cake out of the oven and then let's get this over with."

I followed her into the kitchen to make sure she didn't try to sneak out the back door. Once the oven was shut off and the cake was on the cooling rack, Bernice was good to her word and walked with me out to the car. I called Connie and asked her to meet us at the courthouse to get Bernice re-bonded as promised.

"So why did you miss your court date the first time?" I asked as we made our way through the Burg.

"I had a dental appointment the same day." Bernice explained. "Do you know how long it takes to get a new appointment if you try to reschedule? Anyway, I decided to go to the dentist instead of going to court." I wasn't sure which was worse, going to court or going to the dentist.

I left Bernice with Connie and took the files Connie had brought with her. I had two new FTA's as well as one for Rangeman. I stuck the files in my messenger bag and told Connie I would start working on the files tomorrow. Tank had texted me and asked me to come in a little early today to run some searches that were needed quickly for a new account. If I went straight to Rangeman I would still have time to get an hour in at the gym before I started my shift.

The gym is generally busy early in the morning before normal people wake up and at the end of day shift. During the work day there may be one or two guys that wander in at different times, but I generally had the gym to myself at the beginning of my workout. Lester was working on the heavy bag when I walked in and started up the treadmill. I could now jog at a decent pace for a full thirty minutes and still be able to function when I was done. As I finished my run, Lester was unwrapping the tape from around his hands.

"Looking good, Steph." He smiled and winked as he said this.

I laughed at his flirting. Flirty Lester was hard to take seriously. "Thanks, Les. I was wondering, would you be interested in teaching me a little self-defense?" I asked. "Maybe show me how to break out of some basic holds and such."

This brought out a megawatt smile. Lester was no Ranger, but the man was no slouch either. My feelings for Lester were nothing beyond those of a trusted friend and partner, but damn, I am only human after all. The thought of spending a little time up close and personal with Lester had some appeal.

We went over to the mats and Les spent the next half hour walking me through some very basic escape techniques. We practiced being grabbed from the front and then from behind. Each time, Les walked me through the steps slowly and then repeated the moves in real time. I was probably going to have some bruises from breaking out of his grip, but I felt really good about what I learned.

Once I was cleaned up and dressed in my Rangeman uniform, I made my way to the break room to grab some lunch before I got busy with my searches. Checking over the offerings but not finding a meatball sub, I grabbed a turkey with mustard on multigrain and a container of yogurt. I stopped by Tank's office to let him know I was getting ready to start on the searches and he motioned me in. That reminded me that I had a file for Rangeman, so I set my lunch on the edge of his desk so I could pull the file out of my messenger bag.

"You hear about Chantelle Chagal?" he asked as I flipped through the files to make sure I handed him the right one. It would be my luck to hand him the drunk and disorderly and keep the manslaughter file for myself.

"Yes, I saw that online last night. Do you think that was Ranger?" I knew I shouldn't ask, but the question slipped out before I could stop myself.

Tank dropped his blank face in place and didn't respond to my question. Instead, he said, "I wanted to let you know your portion of the capture fee on Marcel Chagal was deposited in your account this morning."

I smiled at the thought of finally being financially secure for the first time in a very long time. Knowing I wasn't going to get any information on Ranger out of him, I handed him the file for Rangeman and replied, "Thanks, Tank." I still hadn't decided what I was going to do with the money. Working part-time at Rangeman ensured I was no longer living FTA to FTA, and with the capture money and a steady income, I finally had options.

I took my lunch and headed to my desk. I ate my yogurt while I booted up my computer and sorted through the search requests from the new account. The first name was entered and soon I had a very thorough and somewhat invasive amount of detail on the woman. As I entered name after name, I wondered what kind of business this new account did. All of the employees were women and between the ages of 21 and 26. All had a college degree, were single and none had children. Looking back through the driver license pictures that were added to the files, I realized all of these women were extremely attractive, even in their license photos. By the end of the day, I had completed all of the searches and had the reports organized with my notes added to the front of each file.

As I was gathering up the files Cal stopped by to let me know he was just getting off his shift and would meet me at the gun range in ten minutes. That would give me just enough time to drop the files off to Tank before I headed out.

"Hey Tank, I finished running the searches on that new account. What does this company do? Their employees all seem to meet a very specific criteria." I asked, setting the folders on his desk.

Tank looked pained. "They are a brand new company that advertises themselves as a service offering in-home care and companionship. Something seemed off about the account when the sales team signed them on, that's why I wanted you to run the searches so quickly. What did you find?"

"I think the emphasis here is more on companionship." I said. "All of the employees are beautiful, college educated women without husbands or children. Your new client feels more like an escort service."

That brought an uncharacteristic sigh from the big guy. "We can't have Rangeman associated with an escort service. Not to mention I would have guys fighting to take the call any time they needed assistance. I'm going to turn this back over to the sales department and let them deal with it. Why does this shit only happen when Ranger is out of town?"

The rest of my evening passed quickly. Cal was waiting for me in the gun range and we worked on killing paper men for half an hour. On the way home I stopped by Pino's to pick up the meatball sub I had been craving since lunch. The lights were off in my apartment when I pulled into the parking lot and I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding. I decided then and there that I was going to start looking for a new, more secure place to live. It would be nice to come home and not have to worry about finding someone in my apartment. I could use a chunk of the capture money to make a decent down payment on a place of my own and have something besides a rent receipt to show for my payments each month.

I took the stairs up to the second floor and let myself in. I dropped my purse on the floor in the foyer and flipped on the light. It took a second for my brain to process the sight of a man sitting in my arm chair with a gun in his hand. He flipped the safety on and tucked the gun into his shoulder holster. Once the gun was away, I moved into the kitchen and grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge. I set one on the coffee table in front of him before sitting down on the couch and asked if he wanted half of my sandwich. He declined with a shake of his head. I cracked open my beer and took a long pull from the bottle.

I told myself I wasn't going to be the first to talk this time. He broke into my apartment, pulled a gun on me and scared the crap out of me. I figured the least he could do was offer some sort of explanation. I could be patient. I was going to wait him out. I took a bite of my meatball sub and continued to stare at him as I chewed. I swallowed the bite in my mouth and then, damn him, I couldn't help myself.

"What are you doing here, Joe?" I asked before taking another bite.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Thank you for sticking with me. One would think self isolating and working from home would leave me time to write, but I find I have even less time lately! Please let me know what you think. Your reviews, favorites and follows are what make this so special for me. Enjoy!

Chapter 17

My appetite had all but disappeared, but I wanted to play it cool, so I kept eating. I continued chewing nonchalantly as I waited for Joe to respond to my question. While I waited, I took in his appearance. His hair was disheveled and standing on end in places. It looked as if he had run his hands through it repeatedly. The stubble on his face was about twelve hours past a five o'clock shadow and his clothes had the rumpled look of someone who had been in them for a while.

Instead of answering my question, Joe responded with one of his own. "Where's Manoso?"

Deciding two could play this game, I set my sub down and wiped the sauce from my hands before taking another pull from my beer. "Is that why you had your gun in hand when I walked through my own door? Did you expect Ranger?" I asked.

Joe gave a rude sounding snort and said, "You never know who's coming in through the door in this apartment, Cupcake. I thought it best to be prepared. Now where the fuck is Manoso?"

"You should know I'm not his keeper." I replied, not rising to the bait of his sarcastic response. "If you're looking to apologize for the pain and suffering you caused, it's a little late for that."

"I don't owe him or anyone else an apology. I was doing what I had to do for the sake of the assignment. But now, someone is trying to discredit me, and I think he is the asshole responsible." As he said this, I could see his anger reflected in his body language. His jaw was tight and his hands were clenched as if he wanted to punch something or somebody. I didn't think Joe would ever physically hurt me, but in all the time we had been together and through all the fights and arguments, I had never seen so much rage in him.

"What do you mean, someone is trying to discredit you? What are you talking about?" I had a sneaking suspicion I knew what he was referring to, but I wanted to hear it from Joe.

"Word on the street is Joe Morelli isn't to be trusted. My informants won't talk to me, say they can't trust me to protect them. The agent I was working undercover for stopped returning my phone calls. Hell, the guys at the station steer clear of me and won't make eye contact with me when they pass me in the hall. I'm suddenly some kind of pariah." he fumed. "Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who's behind it."

"Well no one would ever accuse you of being a rocket scientist, Joe." I said snidely. "Besides, I was the one who told Eddie about you giving Ranger up. A bigger man would take responsibility for his actions, but if you need to blame someone else, blame me."

Standing up and gathering what was left of my sandwich, I said, "Leave your key and go home, Joe. I'm not going to listen to your bullshit excuses anymore. What you did was wrong and you'll have to live with the consequences."

I walked into the kitchen and threw what was left of my sub in the trash. Turning back to the sink to wash my hands, I found Joe standing right behind me. He was crowding me back against the counter and I was starting to feel uneasy. The rage continued to simmer just under the surface and for the first time, I wondered if Joe would actually raise a hand to me.

"It's not just my reputation that's at stake here, Steph. You heard about Chantelle Chagall's death?" he asked. I nodded and he continued. "Seems there was some evidence found that suggested she wasn't alone before her death. Evidence that points to a certain business manager from Atlantic City that was looking to do some business with Chantelle. I think Ranger is trying to frame me for Chantelle's death."

"Did you have anything to do with her death?" I asked. At this point, I no longer felt like I knew what Joe would do.

He scoffed, "Don't be stupid, of course I didn't. My assignment was to gather evidence for a conviction. I'm not an assassin like Manoso. I work within the law."

Despite his tone and the words he spoke, his gaze moved away from my face and down to the side. Joe can do the blank cop face as well as anyone. He could be evasive and deflect with the best of them. But he could never keep eye contact with me when he was flat out lying.

"What aren't you telling me, Joe? You were there with her, weren't you." My voice sounded flat and emotionless, even to me. I wondered if I had ever really known either man in my life.

At first, I thought he was going to try to angrily deny it. Then, with an exhale, the anger was gone and he deflated before my eyes. His shoulders slumped and he looked resigned. He backed off a step and ran his hands through his hair. "I was trying to salvage the investigation. I thought if I could convince her that I was a dirty cop, I'd be able to work my way into her operation. I wasn't sure what she would do when I showed up at her penthouse, but I was able to convince her to give me a chance to explain. The fact that I had given up Ranger worked in my favor. I told her I was needing to supplement my income, and that I had connections with local and federal agencies. Among other things, I would be able to let her know if her operation was on anyone's radar."

I was skeptical. "I can't believe she bought that bullshit. Why would she?"

Joe was pacing back and forth in my small kitchen. He had run his hands through his hair again, and it was now practically standing on end. He blew out a huge sigh, as if he had made a decision. "She didn't at first. She wanted me to prove that I was willing to do whatever she wanted. So we partied."

The fact that Joe refused to look at me as he said that told me exactly what he's done, but I wanted to hear it from him. It really didn't matter as far as our relationship went, that was over for good. This was about understanding who this person in front of me really was. It had become abundantly clear in the last week or so that I didn't know shit about either man in my life. "Define partied." I said.

"We had a few drinks and then she insisted I do a few lines with her." He had stopped pacing and was looking me in the face as he said this. I suppose he was waiting to see my reaction.

"You were snorting cocaine with Chantelle?" I asked incredulously. "How could you do something so stupid, Joe?"

"I did what I had to do to try to convince her." He was starting to sound a bit defensive.

"So what else did you do to convince her?" I had a feeling it was going to get worse.

Joe looked down at my feet. "We did some shots and a few more lines. She had some other shit, but I only did the coke. After a while, we both passed out. When I woke up, she was dead. I figured she OD'd on whatever the other shit was, so I got dressed and got the hell out of there."

He realized what he had let slip about a half second after he said it. His eyes snapped up to my face to see if I had caught on to what he said. While I had assumed he was referring to sex when he said they partied, hearing him practically admit it was still painful. Not as painful as knowing Ranger was sleeping with her, but it still hurt. I decided not to think about why it bothered me less to know about Joe than it did when I found out Ranger had been having sex with her.

"So why do you think Ranger is trying to frame you for her death if she overdosed while you were passed out?" I was really over this whole conversation, but now I was curious.

"When I reached out to my contact at the FBI to let them know that I had tried to work my way back into the investigation, I was told that I was off the case. He said I had compromised the case by going out on my own and trying to infiltrate her operation. Then he said they had information from an unnamed source that implicated me in her death."

I shook my head. "I still don't understand why you think that has anything to do with Ranger."

"Because after I got home, I was checking my cell phone. Someone had taken a picture of me passed out naked on her bed. It was in a text message to your cell number, but he never pressed send." Joe said, this time never breaking eye contact.

I had to admit, that did sound like something Ranger would do. He would want Joe to know that he knew what Joe had done, but he wouldn't want to hurt me by actually sending the picture. It was enough to let Joe know that he could have sent it.

"So why are you here, Joe? What do you want?" And just like that, we were back to my original question.

The question seemed to trigger Joe's earlier anger. "We both know Ranger will do anything you ask." I practically snorted at this. "I want you to tell him and his band of thugs to back off. Quit ruining my street cred. Quit making trouble for me at the TD. Fix things at the FBI. I didn't kill Chantelle. She was dead when I woke up. He can tell them what he knows. That he was responsible for her death, not me."

I shook my head in disbelief. "First off, you overestimate my influence over Ranger. He does what he does because he chooses to, not because I ask him to. Secondly, would you do the same for him? You've proven several times that the only one you care about is Joe Morelli. Why should Ranger give a damn about you? I think it's time for you to leave. I've had about all I can take of you for tonight and for good. Leave your key and get out, Joe."

The whole time we had been talking in the kitchen, I had been leaning up against the counter as Joe paced in front of me. Now he moved to stand right in front of me and was crowding into my personal space. The counter was biting into my lower back as I tried to create a little distance between us. He was in my face, towering over me in an intimidating stance with his finger in my face. "We both know he'd do anything for you. So tell him to quit fucking with my life."

Before I could do anything, Joe suddenly backed off and left me standing alone in the kitchen. Rex popped his head out of his soup can to see if I was okay. I gave him a shaky smile and he retreated back to his nest. I heard Joe moving around in the living room for a minute before I heard the door shut.

Moving cautiously out into the living room, I glanced around quickly to make sure Joe had really left before putting the chain on and sliding the floor bolt home. It wasn't that I was afraid of Joe, but he was definitely making me feel uneasy. It was ironic really. I was learning about a side of both Joe and Ranger that, on some level, I knew existed but one I had no real knowledge of. Both had done things that my mind had trouble reconciling with the men I knew. In Ranger it felt like he had done them for the right reasons. It reminded me of a phrase I had read somewhere - Ranger fights on the side of angels. I could accept that and it made me care for him all the more.

Joe's motivation was different. Joe's motivation was Joe. There was no higher cause or greater good in Joe's actions. Looking back at the last three years and our on-again off-again relationship, I realized Joe's motivation had always been Joe. Our relationship had never been about what I wanted or needed from him to make it work. It was about his wants and needs. I must have recognized that on some level, which is why I was never able to commit completely. I had realized a while ago that the only reason I couldn't commit to Ranger was because he didn't do relationships. If that ever changed, heaven help my heart.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Thank you to you all for reading, reviewing, following and adding this story to your favorites. It is your enthusiastic response that makes this so rewarding. I appreciate all comments, ideas and suggestions. Your feedback only makes my story better and, hopefully, more enjoyable for you, the readers.

Chapter 18

After another restless night, I woke up the next morning eager to start looking for a new place to live. Joe had not left his key and I didn't trust him not to let himself in again whenever he felt like it. I knew it would take some time to find a new place so my first stop was the basement of my apartment building. I asked building superintendent and all around good guy Dillon Ruddick if he would replace the lock on my door. I knew half of Trenton would still be able to pick the lock, but at least it was a start.

My next stop was Tasty Pastry for a dozen donuts before heading to the bonds office. Lula and Connie were already at the office so I filled them in on my encounter with Joe while we munched on donuts and consumed a pot of coffee. Connie had a cousin who worked in real estate and she gave me her contact information. I was hoping to find a condo in a secure building that was in my price range. I knew I would never be able to afford anything like Ranger's penthouse apartment, but I thought I could do better than a 1970's brown and orange bathroom in a building full of seniors.

Connie had one new file to add to the two I had from the day before, so I finished off my coffee and turned to Lula. "You want to ride with me this morning? I've got a possession of stolen property down near the projects that should be open for business."

"Damn skippy I want to ride with you. Who you got? Might be someone I do business with." Lula said, grabbing a white faux leather jacket that matched her 70's style white go-go boots. The jacket actually toned down the retro orange and pink spandex mini-dress she was wearing, and the whole outfit worked on her. The look was rounded out with a white fringed boho bag, complete with a peace sign charm hanging from the zipper pull.

"No shooting anybody." I said, looking at her bag. This earned me some serious side eye, but nothing more.

As we drove, Lula opened up the file. "Shit, I know this guy. He sells substandard merchandise. I paid him good money for a pair of knock off Louboutin stilettos and the heel snapped off the first time I wore them."

We drove to the address listed in the file and knocked on the door. The young girl who answered the door told us Mickey was at work. I asked if she knew where he worked and she just shrugged and shut the door in my face. Figuring he probably stayed local, we started cruising up and down the streets in the area, moving closer and closer to the projects. We finally spotted him selling merchandise out of the back of a van not far from the address listed on his bond agreement.

We got out of the car and Lula went storming over to the back of the van. "You owe me $40 for the shoddy shoes you sold me. The heel snapped off the first time I wore them."

"Bitch, I don't owe you shit. You musta picked a pair made for one of them skinny ass supermodels, not a fat bitch like you. Now unless you're looking to make a purchase, get your fat ass outta my store." Then he made the mistake of turning his back on Lula.

She swung her bag and caught him in the back of the head, slamming him forward into the back of his van. "Don't you be disrespecting Lula like that. I could be one of those skinny assed models if I wanted to be, but God intended for me to be a voluptuous woman and who am I to question."

I was pretty sure the decision had been made more by fried chicken, ribs and donuts, rather than by some higher power, but given her current state of mind I decided not to go there. While Mickey was still stunned from the blow to the back of his head, I grabbed my cuffs and secured his hands behind his back. Once he was settled into the back seat with his seat belt fastened, we closed up and locked his van. The odds of there being anything left to come back to were slim, but that wasn't my problem. We got back in my car and I noticed a pair of silver stilettos in Lula's hand.

"What? I figure he owes me a pair to replace the shoddy ones he sold me last time." she said.

Mickey started coming back around and was kicking at the back of my seat while yelling and cursing at us. Lula reached into her bag and pulled out her stun gun. "You better settle down back there or I'm gonna have to teach you another lesson in respect."

"A fat 'ho like you don't deserve no respect." he snarled and then spit at Lula.

"Now that's just disgustin'. And I don't 'ho no more. I'm a lady now, dickface." And with that, Lula reached back and tagged him on the leg with her stun gun. "Some men just don't know how to recognize a lady when they see one," she said, slipping her stun gun back into her peace bag.

I dropped Lula off at the office before heading to the station to drop off Mickey. As I was pulling into the parking area by the back door he started coming back around. While Mickey was taking a moment to gather his thoughts, I opened the back door and reached across to unbuckle his seat belt. I was focused on finding the belt buckle when he reared his head back and head butted me in the cheek. Thankfully, there wasn't enough room for him to get much momentum, but it hurt nonetheless. At a minimum, I was going to have a decent bruise on my cheek, if it didn't develop into a full blown black eye.

I pushed the release button on the seat belt and pulled him out of the car. If it had been one of the Merry Men, Mickey would have suffered a few bumps and bruises on his way out of the back seat and in through the door. The best I could manage was a few Italian curse words and some righteous indignation. I could have given him a knee to the groin or a sharp kick in the shin, but my conscience wouldn't allow me to do that to a man in handcuffs.

I transferred him over to the desk sergeant and got my body receipt. Spying Eddie Gazarra coming in through the back, I stopped to say a quick hello. I let Eddie know about Joe's visit the night before. I didn't want to file a formal complaint for breaking and entering, but I felt better letting someone else know. I filled Eddie in on what he had said about his street cred and being treated like a pariah at the station, but I left out the conversation about Chantelle. That was outside of Eddie's jurisdiction and probably way above his pay grade.

I checked the time and was happy to see it was still early enough that I could stop by the bonds office to drop off my body receipt and pick up my check. Before I left the station, I texted Les and asked if he was available for another self-defense lesson before my shift today. If he was available, I figured I could get in a decent workout and a self-defense lesson before my afternoon shift.

My cell phone dinged with an incoming text message just as I was pulling into a parking spot in front of the used book store beside the bonds office. Lester's reply about me not being able to stay away was typical Les, but he agreed to meet me in an hour. I hurried into the bonds office and got my check from Connie, then made my way to Haywood.

By the time I got to the gym, I figured I had enough time for a 30 run on the treadmill and then I would work with the weight machines until Lester got there. There were a couple of guys finishing up their workouts when Lester came in 45 minutes later. I had been working my arms on the weight machine and Les told me to finish up while he did some warm-ups and stretching. Ten minutes later we stood face to face on the mats and Les got his first good look at me.

"What happened to your face, Steph? Looks like someone took a swing at you." His even tone of voice was betrayed by the tightening around his eyes and the flexing of his jaw. Lester was not happy to see the still darkening bruise I was sporting.

"FTA head butted me when I reached over to unbuckle his seat belt. It's no big deal. I'm fine. So what are we going to work on today?" I asked, trying to deflect his attention from my latest mishap.

"Well, we've covered someone grabbing you from the front and someone grabbing you from behind. So today, we are going to work on ways to get out from under someone who has you on the ground." He had me lay on my stomach and demonstrated different ways I could use leverage to try to dislodge an attacker. It was much harder when I was on the ground, because I didn't have much room to move to gain the leverage I needed to overcome the larger mass on my back. Most of the moves he showed me involved creating space to gain some leverage.

Then he had me roll over on to my back and we started the whole process over again. It was a little easier on my back when I could use my legs to gain some leverage in my lower body. I was surprised at the strength I was able to generate and silently thanked Bobby for introducing me to the weight machine. After an hour of trying to dislodge a certain 6 foot, 220 pound former Special Forces soldier off me, I was exhausted.

Les had me pinned on my back when I finally called it quits. "Okay, Les. I'm done. I've got bruises on my bruises from trying to dislodge you and I'll be lucky if I can move tomorrow."

He bent down and placed a gentle kiss on my bruised cheek. "I'd be happy to kiss those bruises better," he said with a cheeky little grin. Our eyes locked and he slowly lowered his mouth to mine. My eyes fluttered closed as our lips met. The kiss was tentative at first and then our tongues touched and the kiss deepened. Finally, the kiss ended and Les pulled back slightly. He was still laying on top of me and I could feel his body responding to the kiss. We were both silent for a moment, taking in what just happened. I was thankful the other guys had completed their workout and left the gym. Lester was the first to break the silence.

"You feel anything?" he asked.

"Nope. How about you?" I replied.

"It was like kissing my cousin," he said.

Ewwww. I must have looked horrified because Lester started laughing. Taking advantage of his lack of attention, I chopped at the inside of his left elbow with the outside edge of my hand and, at the same time, I used my right leg to leverage my hip up and flip him onto his back. Laying a forearm across his throat, I gave him my best 'Burg death glare. He was still trying to laugh even as I was cutting off his air and seemed to find that even more hilarious.

"I don't ever want to hear how you know what it's like to French kiss your cousin." I tried to make my voice as threatening as possible but Lester started tickling my ribs and I dissolved into a fit of laughter. I threw myself across his chest and reciprocated with the tickle torture. A truce was called after a brief tickle war and Lester gave me a hand up off the mat.

I grabbed my things and we walked out of the gym and headed to the stairs. Les had offered me the use of his apartment on 4 to get cleaned up before my shift. This saved the embarrassment of having to lock the guys out of the locker room or risk having someone walk in on me. I took a quick shower and pulled my still wet hair back into a ponytail. A couple of swipes of mascara and a little lip gloss completed my beauty routine. Dressed in my Rangeman uniform, I let myself out of Lester's apartment and headed to 5 to start my shift.

While I was waiting for a search to run, I called Connie's cousin and made an appointment to meet her after work to look at a couple of condos. Glancing to make sure the search was still running, I brought up an online site the realtor had suggested. I was looking through the online listing for one of the condos I was going to tour when Les stepped into my cube.

"We okay, Steph? I don't know what happened in the gym, but I wanted to apologize. I was completely out of line," he said.

"We're cool, Les. It wasn't like you forced yourself on me, for God's sake." I replied. "I was a willing participant. And now we know we aren't meant to be more than great friends." One thing about Lester, is he isn't into deep, meaningful introspection. He wasn't going to drag this out and get all weird about one little kiss.

He smiled and nodded and then tilted his chin toward my computer screen. "Are you looking for a new place to live?"

I looked back at the screen. "Yes, I'm sick and tired of the whole world being able to break into my home. I can finally afford to buy something nicer and more secure. I'm going to look at a couple of options tonight after work."

His brow furrowed. "Are you going by yourself?"

"No, Connie's cousin is a realtor and she is taking me to a couple of places." As I was talking, I was clicking through the different rooms and had gotten to the amenities. This condo featured a gated parking garage, a pool, and a gym. I was definitely moving up in the world if I ended up in a place like this.

"Would you like some company?" Lester asked. "I could take a look at it from a security standpoint. See what they have in place and maybe make some recommendations on how to make your condo more secure. We could grab a bite to eat after."

"That would be awesome! Are you sure you don't mind?" I asked with a smile.

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to," he replied.

"I would really appreciate having a second opinion and another set of eyes. Plus, you can keep me from doing something impulsive." He laughed at that. We both knew being impulsive was one of my more predominant traits. "But only if you let me buy you dinner." I added.

"You've got a deal. What time are you meeting the realtor?" he asked.

"I'm meeting her at the first condo at 5:30. Why don't you just meet me here at 5:00 and we'll drive over together." I suggested. With that decided, we both needed to get back to work to be able to leave at 5:00.

The afternoon flew by as I worked through the search requests in my inbox. Most were from Rodriguez in sales, but Tank had sent a few high priority requests for potential Rangeman new hires. I had just finished organizing the last of the reports for Tank when I felt a familiar tingle up the back of my neck. I glanced up to see Ranger filling the door to my cube.

"Babe," he said. I wasn't sure what Babe meant this time. The last time he had spoken to me, or rather near me, was when he ordered me away in Newark. But then that same night, he had shown up at my apartment to comfort me, even though he knew he wasn't supposed to be there.

Deciding to keep it simple, I responded. "Ranger."

Before either of us figured out what our next line should be, Lester showed up. "Ranger, good to have you back. You ready, Steph?" he asked with a grin.

Ranger looked between me and Les. "I didn't see you two on the schedule to work tonight."

Lester's grin got bigger. "We're not working, we're house hunting. Let's go, Steph, we don't want to keep the realtor waiting."

I grabbed my bag and slid by Ranger, who was still taking up most of my door. "Welcome home, Ranger," I said as Lester grabbed my hand and practically dragged me toward the elevator. "Excited much?" I asked him.

"I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to be looking at houses with you," he replied as the elevator opened in front of us. We stepped on and the doors slid shut. "I can't wait to know you are finally living someplace safe, where stalkers can't waltz in and leave you flowers, cryptic messages and body parts."

I agreed. I didn't mention the part about eliminating unwanted visits from ex-boyfriends. That couldn't happen fast enough as far as I was concerned. I wasn't naive enough to think any amount of security would keep Ranger from getting in if he wanted to. Honestly, although he usually scared the crap out of me, I had never minded when he dropped in unannounced. I wondered if he would still want to now, and if so, if I would feel differently about those visits.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Thank you for your continued patience as this story takes it's sweet time developing. Your continued reviews, comments and feedback are very much appreciated. Enjoy!

Anything recognizable belongs to JE.

Chapter 19

Ranger POV

I never thought I would be under a government contract forever, but I did assume that, if I lived long enough to reach the end, I would be the one walking away from them, not the other way around. I should know better than most that life rarely goes as planned, especially when dealing with bureaucrats. I flew down to Washington DC to debrief with my handler after finishing my assignment in New York City. Instead of meeting one on one to review my written report, I was greeted by three officers wearing enough stars to form their own constellation.

When I accepted my government contract several years ago, I mistakenly assumed that I would only be working in military operations. The reality was, although many of my missions were overseen by the military, a fair number of my missions were for one of the many alphabet agencies in Washington. Because of my looks, I was a valuable asset for more than just my combat skills. No one would ever accuse the powers that be of not exploiting every asset to its maximum potential. When my assignment called for me to use sex as a means to an end, I was just following orders. The same as when I pulled the trigger and sent a supersonic piece of lead through a person's skull. It wasn't personal, just orders.

But my usefulness relied largely on my anonymity. I had to be able to infiltrate into any situation, at any time, and in any place. Also, because of the type of work I had done through the years, I didn't want to make it easy for my enemies to find me. These were the reasons I worked hard to keep my name and face out of the spotlight, even as I grew my business and expanded into multiple cities.

All of that changed with this last mission. After eliminating Sergei, I thought my mission would be over. Thanks to Morelli and the clusterfuck he had created when he blew my cover and then his own, I was ordered to go clean up the FBI's mess. Normally, the agency I was working for would have stayed out of it, but someone, somewhere was either looking to make a name for themselves or looking to make the FBI look bad. So I was sent in to finish the job.

I had spent enough time in Chantelle's world to know the household schedule and entering undetected was not difficult. I had been told to make it look like an accident and knowing Chantelle's lifestyle, I knew that wouldn't be hard to do. When I entered the bedroom I found Chantelle and Morelli passed out naked on her bed. Whatever Chantelle had taken before passing out had already slowed her heart rate and respiration. There was a mirror on the nightstand with white residue and a rolled up hundred dollar bill. I suspected there was heroin mixed in with the cocaine. Had it just been cocaine, her heart rate would have been higher. Mixing the two drugs with alcohol almost did the job for me. It only took a small amount of heroin to finish what Chantelle had started.

I was tempted to finish Morelli off as well but resisted the urge. I may not operate within the law, but I do operate within my own moral code. Most people would not consider the fact that I was here to kill a woman morally right, but that was why the world needed people like me. People like me are not sent out to kill innocents. I don't need to be told the why of the mission, only the desired end result. Killing a person because he is a dumb fuck and an asshole is not what I do. While killing Morelli for what he had done to Steph was tempting, it was not the right thing to do. That didn't stop me from letting him know what I could have done, though. I wonder if he understands how lucky he is to still be alive.

I had hoped Morelli would be discovered with Chantelle's body, but luck was not on my side. When the police refused to offer any information on who could have been with her at the time of her death, speculation turned back to the last man she had been seen with.

I was a tabloid's wet dream. I was a good looking, self-made man, with an air of mystery about my name. That name was now being attached to a dead woman who made it her life's goal to appear in every rag and tabloid in the US and Europe. Every one of them was now scrambling to print the story of Carlos Manoso. To make matters worse, these magazines rarely bothered with facts. Not only was I Page Six news, but Chantelle had also exposed me to several underworld groups whose radar I hadn't crossed until that point. Because of my sudden 'celebrity', the powers that be had decided I had outlived my usefulness as an undercover operative and terminated my contract.

When I pulled into the garage at Haywood, I immediately spotted Steph's car parked in one of the employee parking spots. It was hard not to notice her POS in amongst all the shiny black fleet cars and tricked out trucks and sports cars that were the personal rides of choice to a bunch of well compensated, mostly single, twenty and thirty year old men.

I grabbed my bags out of the back of the car and stepped on to the elevator. The feeling of calm that generally greeted me as I walked into my apartment after returning from a mission was missing. I dropped my keys in the dish on the sideboard and carried my bags into my dressing room. After a quick shower, I dressed in my standard Rangeman uniform of black cargoes and t-shirt and added my weapons. I laced up my combat boots and took the stairs down to the fifth floor. It was late in the day but Rangeman ran 24/7 and I knew Tank would still be around to fill me in on what had been happening while I was away.

Steph's cubicle was located between the stairwell and my office and I told myself I just wanted to make sure she had recovered from her kidnapping before I got down to business. It looked like she was just packing up to leave.

"Babe." I said. What I meant was, I am relieved to see her working at Rangeman and I was glad she seemed to be okay. Somehow, words like that always seemed to come out as 'Babe.'

"Ranger." she responded and then silently looked at me as if waiting for me to continue. I really didn't know what I wanted to say to her, but before I could formulate any kind of response Lester was behind me telling Steph they needed to go to meet their realtor. Hearing Lester's response about being excited to go house hunting with my Babe was like a kick to the balls.

It took all my control to calmly walk down the hall and enter my office. Tank followed me in and closed the door behind him. He settled himself on the couch in my office and waited. Tank has known me since boot camp and can see past the blank face I show the world.

"Report." I barked.

He began summarizing what had been happening with Rangeman since I had been away, but I quickly cut him off. "What is going on with Santos and Steph?" I asked, none to subtly.

Tank grinned. "They have been partnering for a while and Santos has been working with Steph on self-defense. She has really been working hard on improving her skills."

"I saw that in Newark," I said. "When she pulled the gun on Sergei, there was no hesitation. When the door opened, she turned and fired instantly."

"She spends time in the gym just about everyday plus hits the gun range several times a week. She started working on self-defense skills more recently, but she is a fast study." Tank replied like a proud parent.

I was pleased to hear that Steph had finally started taking the steps needed to keep herself safer while she worked, but that didn't answer my question about Lester. "If they are just partners, why are they house hunting together? What happened with the cop?"

"Morelli has been out of the picture since before Newark." I was surprised to hear this. I had assumed they had been kidnapped together. "I don't really know what happened," Tank continued. "It happened around the same time as she decided to start getting in shape and improving her other skills. Maybe she decided to rid herself of that bad habit at the same time she decided to make other changes in her life."

A bad habit certainly summed up the her relationship with Morelli. Although, if I were being honest, I wasn't any better for her. Basically, I had been stringing her along for years. First there was the poaching. Then there were the stolen moments when she finally gave in to the temptation I offered her every chance I could. This only served to whet my appetite for more, but I knew it left her a lot of guilt and feeling badly about herself. She knew what it felt like to be cheated on, and she wasn't the type to be unfaithful. At first, we had only been together when she and Morelli were on an off phase. However, that changed after she thought the cop's crazy grandmother put the 'slut' curse on her. She used the vordo curse to finally give in to the potent sexual attraction we had shared.

Something changed after Hawaii, where we posed as a married couple to try to capture The Rug, an FTA who hadn't been seen in over a year. The first couple of days were spent satisfying each other in every way imaginable. It's hard to reconcile the good girl from the 'Burg with the incredibly sexual and sensual woman she is. Morelli's sudden appearance and her early departure not only put an end to our unplanned vacation, but also seemed to bring her back to her 'Burg reality. I really thought she and the cop were finally going to make it official when they got back together. Thankfully, he bought a billiards table and there was still no ring on her finger.

Focusing back on the man in front of me, I said, "That still doesn't explain why she's house hunting with Santos."

"I guess you'll need to ask her that yourself." Tank replied, standing up and moving toward the door. "I'm glad she's ready to make some changes in her life. If Santos is the one stepping up to help her, more power to him."

I tried to turn my attention to the paperwork in front of me, but my mind kept going back to Santos and Steph. Tank said Les had been teaching Steph self-defense. Maybe he was just going house hunting with her so she wasn't going alone. Knowing her ability to find trouble, I should be relieved that he had offered to accompany her. I kept trying to tell myself that as I brought up the feed for the gym.

Our video feeds were stored on a server for forty-eight hours, unless a client opted to purchase additional storage. Rangeman internal feeds were stored on their own secure server in a separate location. I brought up the feed from the prior day and started scanning at 10:00 am. I didn't think my Babe had changed so much that she would be in the gym at 5:00 am with the rest of the guys. It didn't take long before she appeared in the thumbnails and I backed the recording up to the start of her workout. I was impressed to see she ran several miles at a good pace. Lester could be seen pounding on one of the heavy bags while Steph did her run. As she finished her run, Santos walked towards her while unwrapping his hands.

Because the gym tends to be noisy, there is no audio recorded. The angle of the camera didn't show Steph's face, but it was obvious Santos liked whatever she said. The flirty grin and wink were pure Santos playboy. Asshole. I watched them work on the mats for half an hour. Tank hadn't been exaggerating about how quickly she seemed to pick up the moves. I could see Les wasn't holding back or letting her out easy. I hated the fact that Steph probably walked out of the session with a few bruises, but I knew if a skip grabbed her they would be trying to do far worse.

I fast forwarded to today and found Steph on the feed shortly before noon. I was pleased to see her step on the treadmill once again and run at a steady clip for thirty minutes. Leaving the treadmill, she headed to the weight machine. Santos walked in shortly after and Steph finished her weight training while he stretched. As she walked over toward the mats I saw a darkening bruise on her cheek. I took several deep breaths in an attempt to control my anger at the unknown bastard who hit my Babe.

I watched Steph lay face down on the mat and Santos sprawled on top of her. I continued with my deep breathing, telling myself they were just working on ways for Steph to help herself if a skip got her down. I tried not to think about how much Santos would be enjoying the feeling of her perfect ass rubbing up against him as she worked to break his hold and throw his weight from her.

Steph rolled onto her back and the lesson continued. I could see she was starting to tire but I was proud of the fact that she didn't give up. Finally, it looked like she had had enough. Lester was laying on top of her supporting his weight on his elbows but pinning her arms down with his hands. A growl escaped as I saw him lean forward and gently kiss the bruise on her cheek. Then he lowered his mouth to hers and I could see she wasn't fighting him. The kiss deepened and all I could do was watch and know that, now that I could finally offer Stephanie something more, it might be too late.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Huge shout out to txbabefan for the questions that provided inspiration for a lot of this chapter. It's easy to get lost in my own head when writing and hearing that I've left some unanswered questions only makes for a better story. All reviews, favorites and follows give are amazing and greatly appreciated. Enjoy!

Chapter 20

I dropped Lester off at Rangeman after we finished dinner. He had offered to follow me back to my apartment to make sure I didn't have any uninvited guests waiting for me, but I declined. Having him with me while I had gone through the houses had been a great help, but I felt like I had already taken up enough of his time. Plus, if Joe was waiting for me, I didn't want to create any additional tension by walking in so late with Lester.

As I pulled into the parking lot of my building I glanced up and saw my apartment was dark. Even though Joe had been sitting in the dark the night before, I didn't think it would be a problem tonight. I didn't see his SUV in the parking lot plus I had a new lock. I stopped by Dillon's apartment to pick up my new key and then took the stairs up to the second floor. Before sliding the key into my new deadbolt lock, I listened for a few heartbeats to see if I could hear anyone moving around in my apartment. Nothing seemed to be stirring, except maybe a hamster, so I opened the door. I flipped on the lights and did a quick scan of the living room before letting out the breath I didn't realize I was holding.

I did a quick walk through of my apartment to make sure I was indeed alone before I started to relax. Placing my bag on the kitchen counter, I tapped on Rex's tank to let him know I was home and grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. While everything was still fresh in my mind, I grabbed a notebook and my laptop and brought up the realtor's site to go back through the houses we had seen.

The first place we looked at was amazing. It had one bedroom with an ensuite bathroom and a walk-in closet. The living room/dining room/kitchen area was an open concept with a small office nook and powder room tucked in on the side. The granite counter top and stainless steel appliances were probably overkill for a woman who lived on peanut butter and olive sandwiches, but it was so nice I thought I might be inspired to cook.

Each building in the complex had a locked door that required a passcode. Visitors had to be buzzed in. Security cameras monitored each entrance and there was an alarm system on the unit itself. There was also assigned parking and the complex had a pool, a fitness center and a community recreation hall for the residents.

While I was busy planning where to place my furniture, Lester asked the realtor about monthly HOA fees. When she rattled off a number that was a third of my current rent we decided it was time to move on.

The second place we looked at was a townhouse in a gated complex in the historic district of Mill Hill. The three story townhouse had a garage and laundry room on the first level and a good sized living room/dining area, powder room and galley style kitchen on the second floor. The third floor consisted of a master bedroom with two large closets, a full bathroom and a smaller bedroom that could be used as a guest room or home office. There was a security system on the unit, and Lester suggested that it could be easily upgraded to bring it to an acceptable level.

There was no pool, fitness center or rec hall, but the HOA fees were also less than $50 a month. The unit was a little older and a lot more dated than the first place, but it was also half the price. I could put down a decent down payment without using all of my capture money nest egg.

The last place we looked at was also in Mill Hill, but not in a gated complex. It had been updated by the previous owner and that was reflected in the price. The kitchen had been redone with granite and stainless steel, and the shower in the master bath was to die for. The size and layout were similar to the second place we had looked at, but the lighter colors and hardwood floors made this townhouse seem bigger. The current security system had been installed when the owners remodeled, and Lester only had a few suggestions for enhancing it.

I had already ruled out the first place because of the cost and the monthly fees. I brought up both townhouses in Mill Hill and put the pictures side by side. The location was great. Mill Hill was located not far outside the 'Burg and between the bonds office and downtown where the Rangeman building was located. I could be at anyone of the three in about fifteen minutes, even with traffic.

Looking at the two places side by side, it was an easy choice. I loved the hardwood and upgraded master bath in the last place. The kitchen was fancier than anything I needed, but I decided Rex would enjoy having a beautiful granite counter top under his tank. Once I had made up my mind, I was too excited to wait so I texted the realtor to let her know I wanted to make an offer on the property. Even though it was late, she called me back and I gave her my offer. She said she would pass it on to the sellers in the morning and let me know.

Hanging up, I was nervous and excited at the same time. It hit me how many changes I had made in my life in a very short time. For the first time in a long time, I finally felt like my life had some direction. I wasn't sure where that direction would lead me, but it was good to be moving forward for a change. I made a bowl of popcorn and turned on HGTV. If I was going to be a homeowner, I figured I better start getting some decorating ideas. Two hours later, I was worrying about asbestos, faulting wiring and substandard floor supports that would allow my bathtub to fall down into the garage, so I turned off Property Brothers and got ready for bed.

Turning out the light, I kept telling myself that the inspection would be fine. Those things only came to light when Jonathan ripped out the walls and that wasn't going to happen in my new townhouse. I finally fell asleep as visions of the Scott brothers danced 'round in my head.

The room was still dark when I opened my eyes. Lying in the dark, I tried to figure out what had awoken me. I didn't hear anyone moving but the familiar tingle on the back of my neck and the faintest scent of Bvlgari answered the question of who. I reached toward my bedside lamp and blinked at the sudden brightness. Ranger was sitting in the chair in the corner of my room.

"You know it's rude to break into someone's apartment in the middle of the night, right? Plus it's creepy to have you staring at me while I'm sleeping," I said. I sat up against the headboard and pulled the sheet up a little higher. I wasn't afraid of Ranger, but I was unsure of how to react to finding him in my bedroom in the middle of the night.

The corners of his mouth tipped up ever so slightly. "Babe."

Maybe it was the late hour, but more likely it was the new and improved Stephanie, but something in me just snapped. "You know what Ranger? I'm going to need more than just a 'Babe' here. What are you doing sitting in my bedroom in the middle of the night? What do you want?"

The hint of a smile was gone, replaced by Ranger's blank face. "I wanted to make sure you were okay. I didn't mean to wake you." With that, he stood up and walked out of the room.

I threw off the covers and was flying after him as soon as my feet hit the floor. I tried to grab his arm, but there was no way my hand could begin to get around this man's bicep. He gave a small twitch of his arm like he was shaking off a pest and continued calmly toward my door. I threw myself in front of the door, arms and legs spread like some cartoon character.

Ranger stopped and stared at me without saying a word. His eyes slowly moved down my body and I felt a rush of heat as the blush rose up from my neck and across my face. My nighttime attire had consisted of one of his pillaged t-shirts and a pair of black, boy-cut panties. His eyes darkened as they skimmed down my body and my traitorous nipples contracted to diamond hard points. There was no hope that he would miss that through the thin cotton of the t-shirt, but I refused to back down.

I relaxed my cartoon stance and brought my arms down to my sides. I resisted the urge to cross them over my chest as Ranger's gaze moved back to my face. He raised an eyebrow as is to ask me what my problem was, but no words were uttered.

"A good friend gave me some great advice not too long ago," I said as I continued to stand in front of the door. "In fact, you might say it was life changing for me. I wasn't happy with myself or the way things had been going. He helped me to identify the cause of my problems and then showed me how to find a solution to those problems."

"Sounds like some good advice," Ranger said. I guess he realized I wasn't going to move, so he stepped back into the living room and settled on one end of the couch. I followed him in and sat in the opposite corner, pulling the throw off the back of the couch to wrap around my legs.

Knowing this was not going to be easy, I decided to just jump in with both feet. "So my current problem is, I don't know what you mean with every 'Babe', eyebrow lift or blank face stare. I am not a mind reader, Ranger. I need clear, verbal communication. However, I have no control over the solution to my problem other than asking you to expand on what you are trying to communicate. If you choose not to share that information with me, I can only guess at what you are trying to say. Not only is this frustrating, but it has the potential to create huge misunderstandings." I was feeling very adult with the way I was calmly laying this out. With Joe, this would have already dissolved into a shouting match with insults and hand gestures.

"So what is it you want to know?" he asked.

"What were you doing in my bedroom in the middle of the night?" I asked again.

"I told you, I wanted to make sure you were okay," he replied.

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" I didn't understand what would be so wrong that he had to break into my apartment in the middle of the night to check on me. "Is there some threat I'm not aware of?"

Ranger shook his head. "No, there have been no threats against you." He paused and glanced around the living room, taking in my sparse and shabby furniture. "Did you find a new place?" he asked nonchalantly.

I was puzzled by his non sequitur but replied, "I made an offer on a townhouse this evening. The realtor is going to present it to the sellers in the morning and I'm hoping to have an answer tomorrow."

Ranger just gave a nod and brought his eyes back to me. His eyes tightened slightly as he sat silently looking at me. He continued to stare at me for a moment and then I could tell he had made his decision. "I also wanted to let you know I'm leaving."

Something was different. Ranger had told me before when he was stepping into the wind, but this didn't feel the same. "You just returned. Why are they sending you back out again so soon?" I asked, as a feeling of dread spread through the pit of my stomach.

"My contract has been terminated. This is my choice," he replied.

That feeling of dread continued to spread through my body, turning into something that more closely resembled nausea. "What do you mean your contract was terminated? How can they do that?" I wasn't ready to explore the leaving remark, so I focused on the other part of his statement.

"When my name hit the tabloids, I was no longer useful to the people I was contracted under. I only had another year left on my current contract so they decided to cut me loose." As he spoke, I could sense the irritation he felt with his sudden notoriety.

"How did they connect Rafe with Carlos Manoso?" I asked. "I know Chantelle made the connection because of Joe, but how did the tabloids make that connection?"

"I suspect they were fed the information by the agency Morelli was working for," he answered. "My mission stepped on a few toes and I was an easy target for retribution. Plus, drawing the attention to me deflects the attention away from their undercover operative."

"Joe accused you of trying to destroy his reputation. He said he tried to salvage his operation but that the agency accused him of going rogue and basically cut him loose." I didn't feel the need to go into the whole confrontation with Ranger. The thought of both men in my life having sex with that disgusting woman made me want to vomit. I glanced down at my fingers nervously twisting the edge of the throw. I smoothed the twisted fabric back down on my legs, trying to get my emotions back under control.

Of course Ranger picked up on my nervousness and asked "What aren't you telling me? What else did he say?"

I stared at my fingers as they once again began to worry and twist at the fringe on the throw. Ranger reached out and gently raised my chin up, and I lifted my eyes to meet his. "Tell me what's wrong, Babe."

Something between a sob and a sigh escaped from my mouth and Ranger dropped his hand. I threw back the throw, stood up and began pacing around my living room. "I don't even know how to explain what's wrong. I thought I knew you, but I'm learning I knew nothing. I thought I knew Joe, too, but suddenly I'm questioning everything. How was I so stupid? At least you were honest with me. You said your life didn't lend itself to relationships. I understand why now. And now I really appreciate the fact that your 'love' always came with a condom." I could hear the sarcasm in my voice as I said the last part, using air quotes when I said love, but Ranger's expression never changed. I knew I wasn't being fair, but once I started I seemed unable to stop it. "Joe told me about the picture you left on his cell phone. I know you were there. I know what Joe did while he was there. It's like I never knew either one of you. Am I really that naive?" I had stopped pacing and had my arm wrapped around myself, trying to hold it together. The anger I was feeling was directed at myself more than anything. Ranger had been honest with me. Joe was the one who lied and pretended to be someone he wasn't but it didn't feel fair to direct that anger at Ranger.

Ranger stood up and slowly walked towards me. He approached as if I was a wounded animal and he was wary of me lashing out at him. He gently laid his hand against my cheek and used his thumb to wipe away a tear that had leaked out during my rant. "Babe, you are not stupid or naive. You are a good person who always looks for the good in others, even those of us who don't deserve it. It's what draws someone like me to you. You are the light in my dark world." He lowered his hand from my cheek and traced a line down my arm to my hand. He gently pulled me as he moved backwards to the sofa where he pulled me down onto his lap. Reaching over me, he picked up the throw that had fallen to the floor and wrapped it around my bare legs.

"I had been out of Special Forces for only about a year when I decided to start Rangeman. I had been working for Vinnie for that year making good money, but even with business partners I needed a lot more cash to do what I wanted with Rangeman. When my former commander contacted me about signing on as an independent contractor for the government, it seemed like the best way to achieve what I wanted in the shortest amount of time. It was also one of the few times in my adult life I made an impulsive decision." My shock must have been evident on my face. "Agreeing to help train a novice bounty hunter was another," he said, kissing my forehead.

"Anyway, the money was huge and the missions were nothing I hadn't done before, so I was fine with my decision. When a mission required more finesse than firepower, I was able to stay objective and keep my focus on the mission. I was good at what I did because I could become whoever I needed to be and I would do what needed to be done to complete the mission. But then I met this girl from the 'Burg who only saw the good in people, who kept getting up every time she was knocked down, and who called to ask if I was okay when everyone else thought I had killed Homer Ramos. I tried to keep you at arm's length, but you kept drawing me back towards you. But I knew as long as I was under contract, I could not be involved in a relationship with anyone. Unfortunately for me, knowing I couldn't be involved in a relationship with you didn't mean I could stop myself from falling in love with you."

I'm not sure what the old Steph would have said to Ranger admitting to falling in love. I had been unable to tell Joe I loved him for a very long time. I had never told him I was in love with him. I had admitted to myself I was in love with Ranger, but I had never shared that information with him. I decided the new and improved Steph wasn't going to leave it at that. "So then why are you leaving?" I asked.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: I am forever grateful to you all for your continued support and encouragement. Your reviews, PM's, favorites and follows make writing FF so much fun. And now, as requested by Vicki Snyder1, time to get to "the smutty stuff." Enjoy!

Chapter 21

Our eyes were locked as I waited for Ranger to answer my question. Yes, he had told me he loved me in the past, but always with qualifiers. Now as he is preparing to once again walk out the door, he decides to tell me that he has fallen in love with me? I felt like I deserved to know why he was leaving after dropping that bombshell in my lap.

Ranger didn't reply. Instead, he slowly lowered his mouth and placed a soft kiss on my lips. I wanted to protest that he hadn't answered my question, but then he slanted his head slightly and increased the pressure of his lips against mine. My lips parted as his tongue sought entrance and a moan escaped before I could stop it. My arms had a mind of their own as they snaked up under his t-shirt, and I reveled in the feel of his skin beneath my hands. His hands were buried in my hair, holding me captive with their presence, not with their strength.

The throw that had been over my legs had slipped off as I turned until I was straddling his lap. As we continued to kiss, the ache in my lower body became unbearable and I shifted my hips to rub myself against the evidence of Ranger's arousal, which was straining to break free of his cargo pants.

This shift brought forth a moan from Ranger and his lips left mine to trail open mouth kisses along my jawline and neck. I gasped as he nipped at the tendon in my neck and sent white hot desire through my entire body. One of his hands had found its way up under my t-shirt where it was teasing and tweaking one nipple as he moved his mouth down to suckle the other through my shirt.

He leaned forward, raising up and shifting us until I was on my back on the couch and he moved up and over me without ever breaking contact with his mouth. He shifted his weight to one side of me while making sure not to shove me off the edge of the couch.

The hand tormenting my nipple moved down to my hip as his mouth moved back up to reclaim mine. His hand moved across my stomach and slid down the front of my already soaked panties. Two fingers slid easily into my wetness as he used his thumb to stroke the sensitive nub directly beneath it. His fingers and tongue were moving in the same rhythm and quickly drove me over the edge. He captured my moans in his mouth as my body pulsated around his fingers. The thrusting fingers slowed to draw out my release and he again trailed kisses along my jaw and neck while I worked on catching my breath.

The kisses turned more gentle as he worked his way back to my lips. My brain was just starting to function again and I realized he was still completely dressed. My brain also registered that things seemed to be slowing down instead of heating up. He was still laying over me, using his elbows to keep most of his weight off me. He pulled his head back slightly, desire written plainly on his face.

"I am leaving because I have to go to Miami to take care of some business," he said. I wondered what the hell he was talking about, or more importantly, I wondered why he was talking at all, and then I remembered.

"That was some goodbye kiss, Batman." I barely recognized the husky voice coming from my throat. "When will you be back?"

Ranger slid off me and stood up, adjusting the rather impressive bulge in the front of his pants. The feeling of dread returned as he glanced down at me and then away. I adjusted what little I was wearing and slid up into the corner of the couch. "You aren't planning on coming back, are you." This was a statement, not a question.

Ranger's eyes met mine and he gave a single shake of his head. I'm not sure what he thought my reaction was going to be, but I don't think he expected what I said next. He once told me he had the muscles but I had all the power. I was about to put that statement to the test.

"Sorry, Ranger, that's not going to work for me." I said calmly.

Standing up on my still wobbly legs, I moved to stand in front of him. I took his face in my hands and pulled his mouth toward mine. Ranger let me lead him to my lips and allowed me complete control of the kiss. I nipped at his lower lip, silently asking for entrance. His lips parted and I ran my hands up into his hair as I deepened the kiss. Finally, the hands that were hanging at his sides came up to my hips and pulled my lower body tighter against his.

As much as I was enjoying the intimate duel of our tongues, I knew I had to keep my head on straight. If I gave in to my overwhelming desire to pull him into my bedroom I knew it would be amazing but he would be gone in the morning, probably for good. I finally pulled back, still holding his face in my hands and asked once again, "So please tell me, why are you leaving?"

He reached up and took my wrists in his hands, gently pulling my hands away from his face. He turned away and took a couple of steps before turning back to look at me. I suppose this is the closest thing to pacing I'll ever see from Ranger. "When you were with Morelli, I was able to satisfy myself with the stolen kisses and those times when you gave in to your attraction to me. I knew that someday I would be done with my contract and finally be able to offer you something more."

"How did you know I wouldn't be married to Joe by then?" I asked, more than a little pissed off that Ranger had this master plan for someday that he hadn't bothered to run by me.

"Because I had faith in you," he answered with a sad smile. "I knew that no matter how hard your family, Joe and the 'Burg tried to push you into being what they wanted, you would never allow yourself to settle for less than what you wanted. And I knew being a 'Burg housewife with 2.5 kids and a minivan was not what you wanted."

"That still doesn't explain why you're leaving now. Your contract is done and Joe and I are over for good. You're not making sense, Ranger. It's almost like you only wanted me when I was 'forbidden fruit' or something." For the life of me, I could not follow this man's logic.

"I didn't mind poaching on Morelli but I can't do that to family, Babe. Lester is a good man and I know he'll treat you the way you deserve to be treated. But I can't stick around to watch," he said quietly.

"Wait, family? You and Lester are related?" No one had ever mentioned this little tidbit. Although I shouldn't be a bit surprised, given the lack of personal information these guys shared.

"Lester is my first cousin. Our mothers are sisters. I saw you kissing in the gym on the surveillance video. I know you were looking for a house together. I refuse to create tension in our family by moving in on Lester's woman," Ranger replied.

Ranger must have thought I was losing my mind as I started to giggle, imagining Lester kissing his cousin. Holy hot flash, Batman! The giggles died out quickly as I processed the rest of his statement and moved into rhino mode.

"First off, I'm my own woman, Ranger. I don't belong to Lester or anyone else. Secondly, this is exactly what I was saying to you earlier about communication. You are willing to walk away from the woman who loves you without a fight based on your rather voyeuristic viewing of a surveillance video and a misinterpretation of what Lester and I were doing tonight. Is it really that easy for you to walk away?" As angry as I was, I couldn't stop the pain that found its way into my voice.

"No, Babe, there is nothing easy about walking away from you. That is why I was here tonight. I needed to be near you one last time." Ranger paused and then added, "You said you love me."

"I have been for a long time. I realized I was in love with you when you walked into my apartment to confront Scrog," I answered truthfully. After struggling for so long to say the 'L' word to Joe, I was surprised at how easily I was able to say it to Ranger.

"So how did I misinterpret the kiss and the house hunting?" he asked.

This brought a grin back to my face. "Lester kissed me, but he said it was like kissing his cousin." I replied with a smirk. "Apparently I enjoy kissing his cousin far more than he does." Ranger grimaced at my comment about kissing cousins and I continued, "As far as the house hunting went, Lester went with me as a second set of eyes and to advise me from a security standpoint. I want to know I can walk into my new home and not find uninvited visitors sitting in my living room. Lester and I are work partners and friends, but nothing more."

We both stood silently looking at each other, processing what each had said. The sound of Rex running on his wheel was the only thing to break the silence. I took a deep breath and asked one more time, "So, tell me again, why are you leaving?"

Ranger walked forward and took my face in his hands in the same way I had done to him earlier. He leaned forward and brushed a light kiss against my lips. "I have some business to take care of in Miami. It shouldn't take me more than three or four days. And then I'll be back." As soon as the words left his lips his mouth was on mine and I heard someone moan. Warm hands slid down over my body to cup my ass. He lifted me and I wrapped my legs around his waist, never breaking our kiss.

Ranger continued to kiss me as he carried me into the bedroom. I guess his bat sonar was working since he didn't run into a wall or trip over a piece of furniture. He followed me down as he lowered me onto my bed. My t-shirt and panties vanished and it felt as if his hands were everywhere at once. His mouth followed his hands down my body, the whole while kissing me, caressing me and driving me to distraction.

By the time his mouth reached the promised land I was ready to explode. Realizing how close I was, he gently caressed me with his mouth and tongue, savoring my body's response to his ministrations. He teased me with his tongue until I was begging for release. Without warning, he turned his full attention to the most sensitive part of my lower regions and within seconds I was crying out as my orgasm tore through me. Ranger continued to lap the juices from my body as I moaned and thrashed against his tongue. Finally satisfied that he had drawn out my exquisite torture long enough, he moved away.

My eyes flew open at the sudden loss of his body pressed against mine. I was rewarded by the sight of the most magnificent specimen known to man, or woman rather, as Ranger quickly stripped off his clothes and dressed his impressive erection in the condom that magically appeared. His eyes locked with mine and he moved over me with an animal like grace. My body was more than ready for him as he slowly slid inside me, filling me completely without ever breaking eye contact. He started to move slowly, sliding almost all the way out before refilling me with his length. I could feel the ache building in my lower regions and I became impatient. Tilting my hips up to allow him deeper into my body, I wrapped my ankles around the backs of his legs and urged him on. He increased the tempo and soon the room was filled with the sound of our bodies coming together hard and fast, followed by sounds of pleasure as I tumbled over the edge with Ranger soon following.

We lay in a tangle of bodies and bedsheets allowing our breathing and heart rates to return to normal. Ranger rolled onto his side and pulled me up against his chest. Words seemed unnecessary at this point, so we lay there quietly lost in our own thoughts. My body was completely relaxed. That, coupled with the late hour and the heat rolling off Ranger's body, soon had me drifting off. Ranger reached over to turn off the bedside lamp and I fell asleep thinking how right this felt.

The sun was high in the sky when next I opened my eyes. I was alone in my bed, but the delicious ache between my thighs and the fact that I was naked was enough to convince me it wasn't all just a dream. The bed was cold beside me and I wondered if Ranger had already left for Miami. I tried to remember if he had mentioned when he was leaving, but nothing came to mind. I told myself to be happy there was no awkward morning after leaving, but I thought we had moved past that after last night. Maybe I had read more into it than I should. Maybe he had lied about coming back.

Fed up with my thoughts, I threw back the covers and grabbed my t-shirt off the floor. I walked out of the bedroom and there was Ranger stepping out of my bathroom wearing only a towel wrapped low on his hips. I would have ruined my panties if I had been wearing any when he flashed me his 200-watt smile and said, "Babe."


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: As always, I want to say a huge thank you to you, the readers. Your reviews, PM's, follows and favorites make writing so incredibly rewarding. Enjoy!

Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 22

"Hey," I said, my voice cracking slightly. I cleared my throat and discreetly checked my chin for drool.

"See something you like?" he asked, grinning.

My brain was screaming oh, hell yeah as I replied, "It's okay, I guess." Do I know how to play it cool or what?

Ranger gave a flick of his wrist and the damp towel fell to the floor at his feet. Sweet mother of God. He slowly moved towards me, naked and confident, as I stood transfixed by the sight of all that delicious mocha latte goodness. He calmly walked past me as I stood rooted to the floor, lost in a haze of lust. I finally snapped out of my stupor and turned to find Ranger pulling on a pair of cargo pants. There was a gym bag on my coffee table that I hadn't noticed earlier. A rush of heat spread through my lower body as my brain registered he was going commando.

Suddenly, Ranger's eyes went to the door and a gun materialized from the duffel bag. It took my hormone saturated brain a second longer to recognize the sound of someone trying to open my door. There was a muffled curse and then a fist pounded on the door.

"Open up, Cupcake. I need to talk to you." Joe yelled through the door.

"I don't have anything to say to you, Joe." I yelled back.

"This is important, Steph. It's about Marcel Chagall. Just open the door." The door knob rattled and I glanced over at Ranger. He had his blank face in place but the gun had been lowered.

Ranger reached in his duffel bag, pulled out a pair of sweatpants and tossed them to me. Still holding his gun, he walked barefoot into the kitchen as I tugged the sweats up over my legs and rolled the waist so they would stay up. I left the security chain on and opened the door. Peering through the crack I asked, "What do you want, Joe."

"Can you let me in for fuck's sake? Your neighbors are staring." he growled.

With a sigh, I shut the door, removed the chain and opened the door to let him in. Joe stormed past me and into the living where he did a quick sweep of the room. He wasn't as disheveled as last time, but he looked like he hadn't been sleeping much and his jeans weren't hugging his ass like they usually did. He looked like he had lost some weight. I was surprised at how quickly his appearance had changed.

"Where is he?" Joe asked, scanning the room quickly. Joe moved toward my bedroom as Ranger stepped out of the kitchen.

"You looking for me?" he asked. Standing there with his long silky hair still damp from the shower, barefoot and bare chested, Ranger looked almost feral. The marks from Chantelle's whip were still visible across his exposed chest, a reminder of the savagery Joe's betrayal had brought upon him. With the Glock hanging by his leg and the hard, cold stare, he looked like death incarnate. I knew he would never hurt me, but a shiver ran through me nonetheless.

"You son of a bitch," Joe growled, taking a step towards the kitchen. I moved to stand between the two of them. After seeing the fight between the two of them when Joe showed up in Hawaii, I wasn't anxious to experience that level of violence between the two of them again. Especially since Ranger was holding a gun this time. Even without a gun in hand, I knew Joe would be armed as well.

"Joe, you said you had something to tell me about Marcel Chagall," I said, hoping to diffuse the situation before it ended in a gunfight. Joe broke eye contact with Ranger and he was clearly agitated as he moved about the room.

"I heard from a friend on the Chagall case that the charges have been dropped and Chagall has been released." Joe continued to pace as he spoke. "The woman he was accused of raping has recanted her statement and now claims the acts were all consensual. The DA's office believes she was either threatened or paid off, but they can't prove anything. The only evidence they had was the video and the woman's testimony that she was drugged but there was never any lab work to confirm that she drugged. Without her testimony, there is no case."

I sat down heavily on the couch. I couldn't believe after all the pain and suffering he had inflicted, the scumbag human trafficker/rapist was going to go free. Joe sat down beside me on the couch and grabbed my hands. "Come home with me, Cupcake. I can protect you. I just want you safe." Joe said.

I glanced over to Ranger. He was still standing at the door of the kitchen with his blank face in place. Ranger was letting me play this out, but he was ready to back me up if need be. I felt empowered by his faith in my ability to handle Joe.

I pulled my hands away from Joe's grasp and stood up. "Are you delusional, Joe? I'm not going home with you now or ever. We are done. I'm not even sure we can ever be friends at this point. I appreciate the fact that you came by to tell me Marcel has been released, but I'll be just fine, thanks." I walked to the door and opened it. "Now, if there is nothing else…."

Joe walked over to the door and stood in front of me. He brushed my unruly mane back from my face before cupping my cheek. "What does he have that I don't, Cupcake? You don't seem to care that he was bangin' Chantelle, so what's the big deal if I did? I was just doing my job, same as Manoso. You know we have something good. There's a reason you've never been able to stay away from me for long," he said with a leering grin. "The boys miss you, Steph,"

I let go of the door knob and moved towards Joe. He leaned in to kiss me and I drove my knee into the boys. The shock caused Joe's head to jerk forward and he caught me in the cheek with his head as he hunched forward, clutching the boys for all he was worth. I gave him a hard shove sideways out through the door and locked it behind him. I turned and Ranger was walking towards me with an ice pack and a grin. "Proud of you, Babe."

I flopped back on the couch, put the ice pack against my cheek and closed my eyes. I couldn't believe Joe actually had the nerve to suggest that he and Ranger were anything alike. On top of that, to suggest that he could protect me better than Ranger was ludicrous. I could protect myself, thank you very much.

The couch dipped beside me and I cracked an eye open enough to see Ranger had pulled on a t-shirt before settling down beside me. I held the ice against my face and lifted my head from the back of the couch. "You're not going to give me a hard time about this, are you?" I asked.

"No, Babe. You've been training and I've seen that you are very capable of taking care of yourself. I will tell you that all of the Rangeman resources are available to you if you need them and you are welcome to stay there if you'd like. If you don't feel comfortable staying on the seventh floor, I will find you an apartment on four. I still have to go to Miami but I'll talk to Tank before I leave so he knows what is going on."

I shook my head. "I don't think I'm in any real danger from Marcel." I replied. "But thank you for the offer."

Ranger looked at me like I had grown a second head. "I'm talking about Morelli. How long has he been using?"

"What? Using what?" I asked, completely perplexed by his response.

"Drugs, Babe. Do you know how long Morelli has been using narcotics?"

I shook my head. "I can't believe Joe would be using drugs. He's a cop. He was a vice cop for years. He wouldn't do something as stupid as getting hooked on drugs. I mean, he told me he partied with Chantelle and they did coke, but that was just that one time." I couldn't wrap my brain around the thought of Joe using drugs. That went against everything he stood for.

"I don't know if he was using drugs before Chantelle, but I can tell you he was definitely strung out today. Judging by his appearance, I'd say he's been using regularly since Chantelle." Ranger replied.

"How do you know that?" I asked. It wasn't that I was doubting Ranger, but I just couldn't reconcile the thought of Joe and drugs.

"The agitation, the dilated pupils, the weight loss. The delusions of you coming back to him. Arrogance is also a sign of substance abuse, but in Joe's case I don't think that has anything to do with drugs," he said with more than a touch of sarcasm. "Remember when you were picking up Alexander Ramos so he could smoke and you asked me if I used to smoke. I told you I used to do everything." I nodded, remembering my trips to Deal. "Well I was also around a lot of other people who used to do everything, and watching how drugs could take away a person's control was one of the reasons I stopped. But I still remember what it looks like. I suspect there was heroin cut in with the cocaine Morelli did with Chantelle. Both are highly addictive. I also doubt that was the first time he had done drugs. The stuff they were snorting was high quality and it looked like they had been at it for a while. It takes a while to build up the tolerance it would take to consume as much as they did."

The more Ranger explained about the effects of addiction, the easier it was for me to see what had been staring me in the face the whole time. "What about moodiness and aggression?" I asked. Ranger nodded. That explained Joe's behavior the night I found him sitting in my darkened living room. A feeling of sadness came over me. Even though I had finally admitted to myself that Joe and I didn't belong together, it still made me sad to think that he had fallen so low. I hoped he could find some help to pull his life back together before it spiraled too far out of control.

Ranger gathered me up off the couch and settled me on his lap. He gently moved the ice pack off my partially froze cheek and kissed the bruise gently. I settled my uninjured cheek against his chest and spent a moment relishing in the sensation of being cradled in his arms. Who would ever believe Batman liked to snuggle?

All too soon, he kissed the top of my head and shifted so he could see my face. "I've got to get going, Babe. Tank should be outside in about 10 minutes to take me to the airport."

I felt a small rush of fear as a knot formed in my stomach. "You are coming back, aren't you?" I asked. I was trying to sound strong and confident, but I failed miserably. My voice sounded small and frightened, kind of like Piglet in my niece Lisa's Winnie-the-Pooh DVD's.

Ranger kissed me slowly on the lips. "Yeah, Babe. I'll be back. I've finally got a reason to come home." I smiled and shifted my weight to stand up. I made it halfway to standing before a tug on the back of my borrowed sweats sent me sprawling across his lap. He pinned me down with the mother of all kisses and I figured we still had about 8 minutes before Tank got there. I reached down and started rubbing him through his cargoes, knowing there was nothing but a single layer of fabric between my hand and nirvana. I popped the top button on his pants and the head of his erection was peeking out to see what all the excitement was about. It took only a couple of seconds and Ranger was free of his cargo pants. The sweatpants were gone in an instant and a condom appeared from one of the many pockets in his pants.

Swinging my leg across Ranger's lap, I positioned myself above him and slowly slid down until I was completed impaled on him. Damn he felt good. I moved slowly at first, enjoying the sensation of being so completely filled. His hand slipped between our bodies and his fingers moved against me in time with our bodies. The tension built quickly in my lower body and I could feel my muscles beginning to contract around him. As I hovered at the edge of release, Ranger bit down gently on my hardened nipple, pushing me over the edge and into oblivion. Ranger's hands were on my hips as I continued to grind against him while my inner muscles convulsed and spasmed around him. With one final upward thrust, Ranger groaned as his own release overtook him.

Ranger's eyes were closed and his head was thrown back against the rear of the couch. My lips found the tendon running up the side of his neck and I was nibbling my way toward his jaw when his cell phone chirped. Ranger laughed and kissed me as I gave his phone a death glare. "Tank's downstairs. I gotta go, Babe."

I reluctantly slid off his lap and found the sweatpants in a pile on the floor. I went into the kitchen to make coffee while Ranger got redressed and got his things together. I walked back out into the living room feeling a little awkward, not really sure what kind of farewell was called for here. Obviously Ranger didn't do awkward. He tossed the duffel onto the floor in the foyer and then pulled me in tight. "I'll see you in a couple of days, Babe. Try not to go crazy." He gave me a quick kiss on the lips.

"Try not to get shot," I replied. I locked the door behind him and slid the chain in place. I looked at the time and couldn't believe it was only 8:00 am. I still had plenty of time to stop in to see if Connie had anything new and hopefully pick up a skip before heading to the gym. I knew Lester was busy today and wouldn't be able to work with me on self-defense, but maybe one of the other guys would be willing to work with me.

As I headed for the shower, I couldn't help but think how it finally felt like I was getting my life together. Hopefully I would hear soon if my offer on the townhouse had been accepted. I was getting the training I needed to do my job effectively. And Ranger and I seemed to finally be moving forward into something beyond the weird, sexually charged limbo we had been existing in for far too long. For the first time in a long while, life was good in my little world. Best not to wonder who was going to screw it up.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up. I struggled with it for days and then suddenly, it seemed to write itself! Thank you for sticking with me, for the reviews, the favorites and the follows. Anything you recognize belongs to JE.

Chapter 23

The next couple of days flew by. The realtor called me the morning Ranger left for Miami to let me know my offer had been rejected but that the seller had made a counteroffer. After a bit of back and forth, I found myself the proud owner of a townhouse on Mill Hill. It was both exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. I had never been a homeowner before and it felt like such a huge step into adulting.

Pending the home inspection, the owners wanted to close as quickly as possible. They had already found a new home and needed the proceeds from the sale of the townhouse to close the deal. This wasn't going to be a problem, since my apartment was a month to month lease and I already had my down payment. Tank put me in touch with Ranger's real estate attorney and the attorney had 'expedited' the loan process. I suspected this meant Ranger pulled some strings but I didn't mind a little help, especially if it meant getting into my new place faster.

I declined Ranger's offer to stay at Rangeman while he was gone, but I did ask Tank for a panic button to keep in my pocket. I wanted to be cautious, but I didn't want to be paranoid. Marcel had made no threats against me. The take down had happened so fast I'm not even sure he realized I was in on it. Plus, he had been in prison when everything with Chantelle had gone down, so there was a good chance he had no idea who I was. As far as Joe being a threat, I knew the old Joe would never hurt me. I wasn't so sure about the drugged up Joe. That's why I asked Tank for the panic button.

I continued to work with the guys at Rangeman on self-defense and take down techniques. This training and the time I spent working out had me feeling far more confident in my abilities. I wasn't ready to spar with Tank, but I would be better able to defend myself against an attacker or subdue an unruly skip.

It was late when I left Rangeman for the day so I didn't bother changing out of my uniform. I was starving and craving a meatball sub, which meant a stop at Pino's to pick up dinner on the way home. As I stood waiting for my order, Eddie Gazarra walked in. He grinned when he saw me.

"Hey, Rangerette. How're you doing?" he asked.

I laughed, "Hey, smart ass. I'm good. How's life in the fast lane?"

"Things are good. Shirley said you bought a new house and it isn't in the 'Burg." he said.

"Yeah, I bought a townhouse in Mill Hill. I'm really excited, but it's a little scary at the same time," I replied.

"Congratulations! Let me know if you need any help moving. Big Dog has a truck I can borrow and I'm sure he and Carl would pitch in to help if they're around."

"Thanks, Eddie. I really don't have much I want to take with me, though. Most of my furniture is second or third hand from family. With all the times my apartment has been firebombed, it never made sense to have anything nice." I said. "I still have some things at Joe's house that I'd like to pick up. I've got a key so, technically, it isn't breaking and entering. Maybe you could be my lookout. I never know if Lula will be distracted by something shiny or the ice cream truck or something." I said with a chuckle. I was only half joking about Lula.

Eddie's voice dropped to a conspiratorial level. "You didn't hear it from me, but Joe's been working with vice again. He's supposed to be out late tonight at a stake out on Stark Street. Maybe you don't need a lookout." That's what I love about Eddie. He's a friend first and a cop second.

My order was up, so I thanked Eddie and told him I'd let him know if I needed any help with the move. No time like the present to get my stuff from Joe's house I decided. I drove the couple of blocks over to his street and continued slowly past his house. There was a light on in the back of the first floor, most likely the light over the kitchen sink. Joe left that on for Bob if he knew he was going to be late. Joe's SUV wasn't parked on the side of the street so I parked half a block down from his door and watched the house as I ate my meatball sub.

Finishing my dinner, there was still no sign of Joe. Now was as good a time as any, I thought to myself. A feeling of unease swept through me, but I decided that was because I was sneaking into Joe's house. I made sure the panic button was in my pocket just in case and got out of my car. I let myself into the house and Bob came running toward me at full speed. I dropped my bag on the floor and braced for impact. Once I had been properly greeted and Bob hugs had been administered, I picked my bag up off the floor and set it on the kitchen counter. I opened the backdoor to let Bob out to tinkle in the fenced in backyard while I got my things together.

Hurrying upstairs, I grabbed a laundry basket out of the closet. I never kept a lot of clothes at Joe's house and knew they wouldn't fill more than the one basket. I found an old pair of sneakers in the closet along with a sundress I had forgotten was there. There were some underwear and socks in the dresser and I quickly went through the remaining drawers. My search turned up a pair of jeans and a couple of t-shirts, but nothing more. That was it for the bedroom so I grabbed the basket and headed to the bathroom next. I knew I had a few hair products in the drawer and a box of tampons under the sink. Might as well clear it all out. I didn't want to leave any trace of my presence in his house. As I stepped out into the hall, I came face to face with Marcel Chagall. Before I could react, I heard a familiar buzzing sound and then it was lights out.

As many times as I've been stunned, I knew the process as I started to come to. My hands were cuffed, but thankfully, they were cuffed in front. This meant I still had some use of them. I tried to remain still while I figured out where I was and, more importantly, where Marcel was. I was laying on my side on the floor, but I wasn't sure where. I had been on the upstairs landing when he surprised me, but he could have dragged me downstairs or even taken me out of Morelli's house completely. I had no frame of reference on how many times I had been zapped. It didn't feel like I had been drugged and the feeling was coming back pretty quickly in my hands and legs, so I was guessing I was still at Morelli's.

"You can stop pretending. I know you're awake." Marcel said from somewhere behind me. That answered at least one question. I opened my eyes and saw I was on the floor in Joe's living room. The coffee table had been pushed aside and I was facing the front door. I was going to assume Marcel was sitting on the couch since I couldn't see him in the chair by my feet. I pulled my legs up and rolled forward to use my hands and knees to push myself up. Before I could get my legs up under me I was kicked hard in the ribs. The blow knocked me sideways and I grunted from the pain. I used the momentum to roll to my other side and move away from the couch. This not only got me out of kicking distance, but now I could see exactly where my tormentor was sitting.

Marcel looked at me with a humorless grin. "Hello, Stace. Is that your real name? Imagine my surprise when I tagged Morelli's bitch and recognized her as the woman who still owes me some mischief. And I promise you, I will be collecting, sweetheart." The humorless grin turned into an evil smile as he leered down at me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Waiting to kill the man who killed my sister," he replied. He held up a cell phone that looked a lot like mine. "You just texted him, begging for him to come home. When he does, I will avenge my sister's death. Then, as an added bonus, I'm going to have some fun with you before I hand you over to some friends of mine who are going to make you the star of their next snuff film. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

I was glad I wasn't gagged, because I was afraid I was going to throw up. This guy was insane. As he was talking, I was trying to reach my panic button without being obvious. It was in my front pocket, but not on the side I was laying on. I couldn't get to my pocket without Marcel seeing that I was reaching for something. Best to keep him talking and hope to distract him.

"Joe and I broke up. I was here cleaning out my things. He isn't going to come running just because he got a text from me. Besides, he's working. It's not like he can just walk off of a stake out even if he wanted to." As I was talking I moved my legs a bit as if I were trying to get more comfortable. I was hoping to get the panic button to move a bit closer to my hands but my pockets weren't deep enough for it to shift much.

My cell phone chirped and Marcel looked down at the screen and smiled. "Looks like Loverboy isn't as tied up as you thought he was going to be."

"What are you going to do?" I asked, hoping I could stall him long enough to come up with a plan.

Marcel dropped my phone on the couch and stood up. He came over and crouched in front of me, staring intently at my face. "When I got out of prison I went back to the penthouse and questioned the staff. Chantelle liked to party but she was smart. Everyone said she OD'd, but there is no way. I knew it was a setup. Once I knew who she was with, it all fell into place. He was an undercover cop who blew his assignment and the only way he could save himself was to kill my sister. So now, the fucker is going to pay. Not only am I going to take his life, but I'm also going to destroy his reputation. Loverboy is going to OD just like Chantelle." A malicious grin spread across his face. "Maybe I should make it a murder/suicide. Rogue cop kills ex-girlfriend as she is trying to leave him. Then, he's so remorseful, he kills himself. That has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" Marcel reached out to touch my cheek, but I jerked my face away. This seemed to amuse him as he grabbed my arm and hauled me up to my feet and sat me on the couch.

"As tempting as that scenario is, I would hate to miss out on our night of mischief. Now sit here and be a good little girl while I prepare for Loverboy's little welcome home," he said with a laugh. Marcel went to the laundry basket that I had been filling upstairs and removed a pair of panties. "Open your mouth," he said as he came to stand over me.

I clenched my teeth and shook my head. His fist connected with my cheek bone, right on top of the bruise Joe's head had left. My head snapped back and I gasped at the explosion of pain. The satin and lace panties were crammed into my mouth and pushed towards the back of my throat. I bit down on the fingers in my mouth. Marcel grabbed my hair and yanked my head back hard, but I continued to bite down as hard as I could. He drove his knee into my chest, knocking the air out of my lungs and causing me to lose my grip on his fingers.

"You fucking bitch!" he screamed as he punched me with his bloodied hand. I heard the sound of cartilage breaking when he connected, and blood was pouring down the back of my throat. With the panties wadded up in the back of my mouth, I was having a hard time getting enough oxygen and I was afraid I was going to pass out or asphyxiate. Marcel stepped back away, clutching his wounded hand and I leaned my head forward to allow the blood to flow out of my nose instead of down the back of my throat. It was still difficult to breathe, but I used my tongue to push the panties forward enough in my mouth to be able to get a little more air in. I fought the urge to try to inhale deeply, afraid I would choke on the gag again.

As I sat hunched over trying to regain my breath, I pushed on the fob that was in my pocket. I couldn't tell if the button was up or down, or if I had been able to push it hard enough to alert the Rangeman control room. I could only hope that the cavalry was on its way but I wasn't going to count on it.

The sound of running water came from the powder room so I flew up off the couch and ran towards the front door. I thought if I could at least get outside, someone would see me and call the police. Before I could grab the doorknob I was wretched back and thrown into the coffee table. The wooden table splintered under the force of my fall and I felt a sharp pain in my ribs where Marcel had kicked me earlier. Grabbing a handful of hair, Marcel hauled me to my feet and tossed me back toward the couch.

Once again, I was struggling to breathe around the gag. The bleeding from my nose had slowed to a trickle, but the swelling made it nearly impossible for air to get through my nostrils. The sharp pain continued in my side and I almost blacked out when I looked down to see a large, bloody wooden shard from the broken table sticking out of my side.

Marcel was moving towards me when I saw headlights stopping outside in front of the house. I moved my focus back to Marcel, hoping I hadn't given anything away but I could tell by the look on his face he knew. It had to be Joe. If it was someone from Rangeman, we would have never seen them coming. Marcel held a finger to his lips in a shhh'ing gesture and grabbed the stun gun from the side table. He moved to stand behind the door as footsteps sounded on the porch. The locks tumbled and Joe walked in through the door. I tried to call out a warning but could only manage a muffled noise.

Taking in my bloody face and the trashed living room at a glance, Joe's hand went for his side arm but it was too late. Marcel used the door to knock Joe off balance and tagged him with the stun gun. Joe crumpled into a heap and Marcel pulled him in, shutting and locking the door behind him.

Marcel dropped the stun gun to the floor. "Time to take a little trip, asshole," he said as he unbuttoned Joe's shirt and pulled his arm out of the sleeve. Pulling what looked like a small leather shave kit from an inside pocket of the jacket he was wearing, he opened the zipper and took out a syringe and a strip of rubber like they use for lab work. The tourniquet was tied around Joe's bicep and he looked like he was about to have blood drawn.

Marcel had his back to me as he worked on Joe. Blood continued to seep from the wound in my side and I was having trouble breathing, but I knew this was my only chance to save both of us. With Marcel's attention on Joe, I pulled the soggy wad of fabric from my mouth and breathed in as deeply as I could with the pain in my ribs. Inching forward to the edge of the couch, I stood up silently, keeping my eyes on Marcel while he focused his attention on preparing the needle he was now holding. I prayed I was strong enough and could move fast enough as I crept up behind Marcel.

I dropped my cuffed hands over his head as I brought my weight down on his back. He had been crouched over Joe and my weight caused him to fall forward. The cuffs dug into the bones of my wrists as I pulled them as tight as I could across Marcel's neck. I drove my elbows into his back to create leverage as he tried to dislodge me. The needle had been dropped when I hit him from behind, and he was using both hands to try and tear the cuffs and my hands away from his throat.

Marcel continued to thrash but it felt like he was starting to weaken. I struggled to keep the cuffs around his neck, hoping to cut off his air or the blood supply to his brain long enough to subdue him before I passed out. The blackness was already creeping in and I knew I didn't have much left in me either. Marcel gave a lurch like he was trying to stand and we both toppled over sideways. Since my hands were around Marcel's throat, I had no way of breaking my fall as I came down hard on the piece of wood still sticking out of my side. The pain was like nothing I had ever felt before and darkness engulfed me.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Okay, so that cliffie was just evil, but some of your reactions had me literally laughing out loud. As requested, I got this chapter out as quickly as possible to make up for it. Thank you to all who take the time to review, PM, favorite and follow. You all are amazing and make this so much fun.

Chapter 24

Ranger POV

I had only been in Miami for a few days, but I was glad to be back in New Jersey. Originally, I had planned to take Julie out for dinner and fly back to Newark in the morning. Plans changed when Rachael called to say Julie had come home sick from school and told me Julie would have to do dinner with me another time. With no reason to stay longer, I rebooked my ticket to a flight leaving in just a few hours and called Tank to let him know I was arriving in Philly at 1900 hours.

Tank was waiting for me when I arrived and we spent the ride back to Trenton discussing the issues I had gone to Miami to address and some changes I was considering. One of the many reasons Tank was second in command at Rangeman was because I could trust him to give me his honest opinion. No one would ever accuse Tank of being a 'Yes' man. Traffic was light and the forty minute ride from the airport to Trenton flew by.

We were on Route 1 approaching the Market Street exit when the emergency alert sounded on both our phones. I looked at the notification on the screen and barked out "Morelli's house."

The alert indicated that Stephanie's panic button had been activated and the GPS locator was showing her on Slater St. We were only about ten minutes away and I knew Tank would be able to make it in less. While Tank drove I called the control room. "Report."

"Sir, Steph's panic button was activated three minutes ago. The GPS is showing her at Morelli's house. Hal and Binkie are the closest unit to her location and are on their way. ETA seven minutes. I've tried to reach her cell phone but there is no response," Vince replied.

"Tank and I are en route. ETA about the same. Has anything gone out over the emergency band?" I asked. If there were gunshots, fire or an explosion, one of Morelli's neighbors would have already called it in. If Morelli had hurt my Babe I didn't want Trenton PD there to witness what I was going to do to him.

"Negative, sir." At least we had an idea of what hadn't happened. With Steph, it was always a crap shoot.

"Continue to monitor the emergency band and keep trying to reach her." I disconnected and focused on reining in my emotions. I told myself my Babe was not the same person she had been before I left on my assignment. Steph had been training, learning to be comfortable with a gun and taking her safety seriously. When Tank told me she had asked for a panic button, I realized just how much she had changed. I would have been happier if she had stayed at Rangeman, but I also understood why she hadn't.

We pulled onto Slater St and I didn't see the other Rangeman vehicle. Morelli's car was parked in front of his house and Steph's car was parked half a block down. I called Hal and told him to park in the alley behind the house and come in from the back. Tank killed the lights on our vehicle and parked four cars behind Morelli's SUV. We each slipped an earbud in and drew our weapons as we got out. There were two clicks in my earbud signaling that Hal and Binkie were in place at the back of the house. I ordered Hal and Binkie to hold their position as we walked toward the front of the house.

"Sir, we just picked up emergency services being dispatched to Morelli's house. The cop called it in. Requested police and ambulance. He reports one dead, one injured." Vince's voice was professional and dispassionate, but I knew this was affecting him as much as every other man on this channel.

Any effort at stealth was gone as I hit the porch and planted my boot directly above the doorknob. The door crashed open and my eyes swept over the scene at my feet. Morelli was on the floor behind Steph and a man I recognized as Marcel Chagall. Morelli's hand went toward his weapon as we stepped in.

"Do it, Morelli. Give me an excuse." I growled. Morelli stopped and held up both hands. Hal came up behind Morelli and removed the weapon from the holster at his back. Morelli's shirt was half off and there was a rubber tourniquet and a stun gun on the floor. There was also a small leather zippered pouch on the floor in front of Chagall.

"Get him away from her," I said to Tank as I moved closer to try to determine how badly Steph was hurt.

"She's breathing but not responding. I don't know how badly she's hurt and I didn't dare move her. Chagall is dead," Morelli said as Tank pulled him back. I put my fingers against her neck and felt her pulse. It was weak, but it was there.

I felt for a pulse in Chagall's neck but there was nothing. He was laying on his side and Steph's cuffs were still across his neck. Her wrists were cut and bleeding from the metal digging into her skin. When she passed out, she had rolled back away from his back as far as her arms would let her. Once the cuffs were released she would roll on to her back. I tried to assess her injuries but I could only see half of her body. There was dried blood and a fresh bruise on her face. It looked like her nose had been broken. I didn't know what she might have for internal injuries, so I braced her back as Binkie unlocked the first bracelet and slid it gently off her wrist. I carefully lifted her arm off Chagall and rested in against her side.

Hal came back through the kitchen with the first aid kit from his vehicle. He pulled out the emergency blanket and laid it over her as best as he could with me pressed up against her back. There was nothing more we could do for her until the ambulance arrived.

"Talk," I said to Morelli, who was being held at by an angry looking Tank.

Morelli glared at Tank. "You can let go of my arm. I'm not going anywhere." Tank looked at me and I gave a small nod. Tank released Morelli's arm and I couldn't hold back the smirk from the bruise that was already forming where Tank's hand had been.

Morelli pushed his arm back through his sleeve but didn't bother buttoning up his shirt as he started pacing in the small living area. "I got a text from Steph saying she really needed to see me and practically begging me to come home. I thought she had finally come to her senses and was ready to get back together. Anyway, I was working on a stake out down on Stark Street but nothing was happening, so I left. I figured I'd head back after we ah, you know, made up."

It was a good thing I couldn't get up from where I was sitting holding my Babe, because I would have pounded the arrogant little prick right then and there. For about the hundredth time, I wondered how she put up with him.

Morelli ran his hand through his hair as he continued. "Anyway, when I walked in I saw Steph's bloody face and the smashed coffee table, but before I could even draw my weapon I was stun gunned. When I woke up, they were both lying on the floor like you saw them. I checked for a pulse and called 911."

"What's with the shirt and the tourniquet?" I asked.

Morelli shrugged. "I can only guess, and it's pure conjecture. When I came to, my shirt was half off and I had a tourniquet around my arm. The bag in front of Chagall looks like a drug kit. There's a hypodermic and what I'm guessing might be heroin in the bag. There's another needle sticking out of Chagall's stomach. Looks like he fell on the needle he was planning to use on me." Morelli's cop face had slipped into place as he said this.

I raised an eyebrow. "He fell on his own needle. Is that the story you're going with?" I asked. Morelli nodded once. It really made no difference to me. The bastard was dead and no longer posed a threat to my Babe. I was just surprised Morelli had the balls to do it.

The street lit up with emergency strobe lights and Carl Costanza and Big Dog were first on the scene. Once they determined it was secure, the EMT's were allowed to enter. A back board was slid in between me and Steph and I eased myself away from her so they could work. As she was rolled onto her back, they moved the emergency blanket and for the first time we saw the jagged piece of wood protruding from her side. The side of her shirt was plastered against her skin and there was a bloody smear on the floor where she had been laying. The position of her body had been applying pressure to the wound, but now that pressure was gone.

We all had seen enough chest wounds to know the bloody froth meant her lung had been punctured. One of the EMT's ripped open a sterile dressing and started applying pressure while the other strapped a blood pressure cuff around her arm. He looked at me and asked "Can you guys get her out to the bus on the back board. We need to get her to the hospital, stat."

I grabbed the board by her head and Tank grabbed the bottom. On three, we hoisted the board and moved as gently as we could out the door. The EMT continued to apply pressure to the wound at her side while the other was on the two-way relaying information to the hospital so they could be ready for her as soon as we arrived. I could hear the strain in his voice as he reeled off the dangerously low blood pressure numbers.

We set her on the gurney in the back of the ambulance and strapped her down. I moved around to her side and told the medic I'd keep the pressure on while he got the oxygen started. Tank jumped out the back, slammed the doors and pounded twice against the side of the vehicle. It was only a short ride to St. Francis and the emergency department was waiting to take her in as soon as we got there. A nurse took over my position and I was ordered out of the way as my Babe was hustled through the doors to the surgical suite.

Tank, Hal and Binkie arrived within minutes of each other. Tank told me the cops were still going over the scene, but it looked like Steph had been clearing her things out of Morelli's house when Chagall had gotten the jump on her. Morelli was sticking to his story about Chagall falling on the needle and I knew no one was going to bother to question the story too much.

Before long, the waiting room was a sea of black. Steph was one of us, and every man who wasn't working was waiting to hear that she was going to be okay. Helen, Frank and Edna were seated on one of the vinyl covered couches and every so often I noticed one of my men would offer to go get them food or something to drink. It was almost 0200 hours before the doctor came out to give us an update. He seemed taken aback by the mass of humanity that surged forward as he entered the waiting room.

"Mr. Manoso?" he asked, looking around to see who would step forward. I indicated to the Plum's that they should join me as we walked over to the doctor.

"I'm Carlos Manoso. These are Steph's parents and grandmother. How is she?"

"I'm Dr. Harris, the surgeon who worked on Ms Plum. She's holding her own. She has a punctured lung, two broken ribs, a broken nose and a fractured cheekbone. Both of her wrists are badly cut and swollen, but the x-rays did not show any fractures. The surgery to repair the tear in her lung went well and, barring any further complications, she should make a full recovery," the doctor replied.

"Can we see her?" Helen asked.

"We'll be moving her into ICU shortly. Once we get her settled, immediate family can go in one at a time for just a few minutes. Are you her husband, Mr. Manoso?" he asked me.

Before I could reply Helen looked the doctor square in the face and answered, "Yes, he is." The waiting room was wall to wall bodies and no one said a word. I felt the corners of my mouth tip up as I nodded to the doctor.

I sent the rest of the men home to get some rest. A nurse came to escort us to the ICU waiting room. It was another hour before we were told we could each go in for two minutes. The nurse explained that Steph was being kept sedated while she was on the ventilator, but it was very likely that she could still hear what we were saying. She also warned us not to be alarmed by the way she looked. I knew the drill. I had experienced ICU from both the door and the bed. I wasn't sure how well Steph's mother was going to handle seeing her daughter with tubes coming out of everywhere, though.

"Are you sure you don't want to wait until she has been moved to a regular room?" I asked Helen.

"Mr. Manoso, I appreciate that you are trying to spare me, but that is my daughter in there. I will not walk away just because it is hard to see her like this. The women in this family are stronger than you might realize," she replied with a defiant tilt of her chin.

"Ma'am, I meant no disrespect. And I am starting to understand just how seriously I've underestimated the women in your family in the past. I won't make that mistake in the future." As I tried to make amends, I noticed a small smile on Frank's face. I suspected he knew exactly how tough the women in his family were.

Helen went in first and then Grandma Mazur. Both had tears in their eyes when they stepped out of the room. We sat in silence while we waited for Frank to come back out of Steph's room. It was now close to 0500 hours and I knew the Plums must be exhausted. Fortunately, they only lived a few blocks from the hospital. I sent them all home to get some rest and told them I would let them know if anything changed.

Once they were gone, I went in to see my Babe. Her nose had been taped and she had two black eyes. The contrast against her pale face was stark. I took her hand, being careful not to disturb the IV line, and kissed her gently on the forehead.

"Babe." I said. What I meant was I love you, I'm afraid to lose you, I don't want to live without you. I was starting to see what she had meant about communication. I just hoped she understood what I was saying. I pulled the chair from the corner up beside the bed and positioned it so I was close to her head. I mindlessly played with her curls as I started talking softly to her. I told her about growing up in Newark, about my parents and my Abuela Rosa and my brothers and sisters. I told her about the time my brother dared me to kiss Miranda Sanchez and how she slapped me when I tried. I talked to her about everything and nothing. I just wanted her to know I was there.

The doctor was in to check on her sometime mid-morning and said everything looked good. He said if she continued to improve, the ventilator would be removed later in the day and they would start to bring her out of sedation.

The nurse was in regularly. She had long ago given up on trying to make me leave. Once when she came to check on Steph, she brought a bottle of water and left it on the table beside me. I nodded my thanks and continued talking to my Babe. The only time I left her side was to use the bathroom when the need became overwhelming. The shifts changed and a new nurse appeared. Once in a while a fresh bottle of water appeared, but no one said another word about me being in the room.

Late in the day the doctor returned. "Mr. Manoso, we are going to start weaning your wife off the ventilator." The phrase 'my wife' took me aback for a second until I remembered Helen's deception to get me into ICU. "As long as she can continue to breathe on her own, we will remove it completely. Once the ventilator has been removed, we'll stop the sedative and allow her to wake up. If all goes well, we could be moving her out of ICU and into a room as early as tomorrow."

Over the next hour or so, the nurse would appear periodically to adjust the ventilator. I knew they were slowly turning back the pressure to allow Steph's body the chance to take over. I kept up my dialogue throughout to process, talking to her about Miami and Rangeman and Julie. I didn't want her to get scared or think she was alone. Finally, the doctor returned and gave the order to have the ventilator removed completely.

I knew it could take hours for the sedatives to wear off and I wanted to be there when she woke up, but I knew I looked like shit and didn't want to upset her. I texted Tank and asked him to bring me a razor and a change of clothes. One of the nurses directed me to a locker room where I could shower and shave.

I opened the bag and smiled, knowing Ella had packed the bag. Besides a razor and a change of clothes, there was a bottle of my shower gel that my Babe loved so much. Ella had also packed a small cooler with a turkey sandwich, a bottle of water, containers of sliced apples, strawberries and carrots, and several protein bars. I realized I had not eaten anything since I left Miami and I was suddenly starved. I opened one of the protein bars and it was gone in three bites.

Ten minutes later, I was showered and shaved. I had eaten the sandwich and another protein bar and was anxious to be back to Steph. I knew she wouldn't wake up this quickly, but I didn't like being away from her.

Over the next few hours I continued my bedside vigil, talking or dozing with my head on the edge of her bed. I made sure I was always touching her so even if I was quiet she would know I was there. I was telling her about my mother's creamy, delicious flan drizzled with homemade caramel sauce when I felt a soft squeeze from the hand I had been holding. I wasn't sure if it was a muscle twitch or an intentional squeeze.

"Would you like me to make you flan sometime, Babe?" I asked, knowing if anything was going to bring her awake it was that thought of dessert. I felt another squeeze and knew she was finally waking. I paged the nurse to let her know and to ask for some ice chips. Having spent some time on a ventilator myself, I knew Steph's throat would be sore and the ice would help.

The nurse came in with the ice, checked the monitors and said everything looked good. As she was leaving, she said she'd let the doctor know and to call if I needed anything. The only thing I needed was to see my Babe's beautiful blue eyes. I kept her hand in mine and started telling her about all my favorite dishes that my mom made while I was growing up. As I tried to describe the smells and tastes of my childhood I felt her hand moving under mine. Looking down at the small, white hand engulfed by my larger, darker hand, I was momentarily distracted by the contrasts between the two of us.

"Ranger." Her voice was low and harsh sounding from the tube that had been down her throat. Startling slightly, I looked back at her face to see those incredible eyes looking at me. "You need to be more aware of your surroundings," she whispered hoarsely.

"Babe." For once, I knew she understood that what I meant to say was I love you.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: RL has been especially distracting lately and I find myself spending more time reading other's stories than working on my own. Thank you for sticking with me and all the words of encouragement. Your reviews, follows and favorites totally make my day and I appreciate you all. The story feels like it is winding up, maybe one or two more chapters after this. I look forward to hearing what you think.

Anything you recognize belongs to JE. Enjoy!

Chapter 25

My brain was fuzzy and my throat was on fire. Ranger reached for something and let go of my hand to spoon ice out of the cup he had grabbed. I felt the chill of the spoon resting against my bottom lip and opened my mouth enough to allow the cooling ice chips to slide into my dry mouth and down my tortured throat. Slowly, he spoon fed me a few ice chips at a time, waiting patiently as each spoonful melted across my tongue.

"What happened?" I rasped out between spoonfuls.

"From what we can determine, you took down Chagall and saved Morelli's life. Proud of you, Babe." Ranger's blank face was in place and I knew there was something he wasn't telling me.

"Is Chagall in custody?" I asked.

"No, he was dead by the time we got there," was his reply.

My brain fog was starting to clear a bit as I remembered back to the struggle in Joe's living room. I remembered jumping on Chagall's back and trying to wrap the chain from the cuffs around his neck as he prepared to inject Joe. I remembered him falling to the side and then nothing.

"Oh my God, I killed a man with my bare hands." Obviously I had killed in self-defense before, but shooting someone felt a little more removed than strangling a man. This seemed a lot worse.

Ranger set the cup of ice down and took my hand in his. "Babe, you did what you had to do to save your life and the cop's. You were defending yourself and Joe. Besides, we won't know what the cause of death was until the autopsy is complete."

"What do you mean, cause of death? I choked him to death with the handcuffs," I cried in a hoarse whisper.

"From the looks of it, he fell on the needle he was going to use to inject Morelli. We suspect it was heroin," Ranger explained. "If there was enough in the syringe to kill Joe, there was enough to kill Chagall."

This sounded a little strange, but my brain was still full of cobwebs and I didn't want to believe that I had choked a man to death, so I decided to let it go for now. "So when can I go home?"

This brought an almost smile to his mouth. "The doctor has already been alerted to the fact that you are awake. I'm guessing they will want to keep you at least one more day, but you should be able to move out of ICU and to a regular room. When you're ready to go home, we'll talk about where you want to stay while you recuperate."

Before I could reply, the doctor came into the ICU and headed straight for my bed. He gave me a smile and said, "Nice to finally meet you, Ms Plum. I'm Dr. Harris. Your husband has been glued to that chair almost the entire time you were with us in ICU."

My husband? I glanced over at Ranger. He had moved from his seat to stand against the far wall to make room for the doctor. I gave him my 'you've got some explaining to do' look and turned back to the doctor. "What's the verdict, doctor? When can I go home?"

"Well Ms Plum, you have some pretty serious injuries. We are going to be moving you out of ICU shortly, but I'd like to keep you in the hospital for a couple of days to monitor your breathing and watch for infection. Your most serious injury was the puncture in your lung from the fragment of wood that pierced your side. We were able to repair the tear in your lung, but you'll need to give your body time to heal. You have two broken ribs that will make it difficult to move for several weeks. You'll want to keep those wrapped. Your ribs will let you know pretty quickly if you're overdoing something and will keep you from doing anything too strenuous. Don't try to rush the healing process." I couldn't help but look over at Ranger at the mention of strenuous activity. The tiny twitch at the corners of his mouth told me he knew exactly what was going through my mind.

I gave myself a mental shake and focused back on the doctor as he continued. "Your nose is broken and has been reset and taped. You've also got a fractured cheekbone. There isn't anything we can do for that other than protect it from further injury while it heals. If there is a chance of you being hit in that area again, we'll need to get you fitted for a clear face shield to protect the bone while it heals. If you follow hockey, you've probably seen players wearing something similar." I wasn't planning on chasing skips in a clear hockey mask so I didn't think that would be necessary.

"Okay, so a couple of days? Any chance I can go home sooner?" My voice sounded harsh and it still hurt like hell to talk, but if I could talk my way out sooner I was willing to suffer through the discomfort. I hated hospitals and I wanted to be in my own space.

The doctor shook his head. "A chest wound with a punctured lung is extremely serious. Any sort of infection at this point would be dangerous, so I want to administer some heavy duty antibiotics through your IV. Once you've completed those, we'll reassess and see where we stand. Two more days at a minimum. But, we will be moving you to a private room shortly, so that should make it a little more tolerable."

He asked if I had any other questions and I shook my head no. The only question I had was for Batman. After the doctor left Ranger moved back into his place beside my bed.

"So, hubby, was it a nice ceremony?" It hurt to talk much above a whisper, but I was hoping to make Ranger squirm a little. After I used the fake husband routine to gain access to Manny when he was shot by Scrog I got a lot of good-natured ribbing from the guys. I still got called Wifey on occasion.

I should know better than to try to tease Ranger. He leaned forward and nipped my ear lobe before whispering "Not nearly as nice as the honeymoon will be." I felt my face heat up at the thought and hoped my suddenly elevated heart rate wouldn't send the nurses scrambling.

"Your mother told the doctor I was your husband so I could be with you in the ICU. It seemed expedient to just go with it," he explained.

Wow, go Mom! I thought. Who knew she could be so sneaky. Maybe I could get her to sneak me in some pineapple upside down cake. Thinking about dessert reminded me of something that seemed caught in the cobwebs of my brain. "Were you talking to me while I was out? I have this vague memory of hearing your voice as I was waking up. You were talking about food and offered to make me dessert. Was that real or a dream?"

Ranger full on smiled. "I was telling you about the flan my mother made when I was young. I used dessert to lure you back to the land of the living."

My throat was aching so Ranger fed me some more ice chips and gave me a few sips of water. I closed my eyes to rest a minute, and the next thing I knew the orderly was there to transfer me to my room. Ranger moved out into the hall while they got me ready but was never too far away. He walked beside me as my bed and medical paraphernalia was rolled down the hall. When we arrived at my room, he waited against the far wall while everything was set-up, hooked up and resettled. The nurse asked if I needed anything. I shook my head no and whispered thank you.

My room was at the end of the hall and relatively quiet. Although I had done nothing but lay in bed, I was exhausted. I told Ranger to go home and get some food and some sleep. I felt bad that I was keeping him away from his business and I told him it seemed silly for him to sit and watch me sleep. When I said this there was a little twitch at the corners of his mouth, like he thought that was funny. Ranger said he'd call my parents and give them my room number and let them know I was sleeping. With a final kiss on my forehead, and a promise to return soon, he was gone.

The muted murmurs from the hall created a kind of white noise and I sank into an exhausted slumber. Sometime later, I was awakened by the nurse who had come in to check my vitals and my IV. She offered me a Popsicle and some jello. My stomach sent out a request for donuts and a meatball sub, but I went with the Popsicle and jello instead. As I was slurping up the end of my orange jello my mother walked in.

"I always hoped you'd meet a nice doctor," she said. "Next time, how about you wait until I invite one to dinner." My mother, the comedian.

"I hear I'm already married to Ranger," I replied. "That will put a crimp in your dinner invites. The phone must be ringing off the wall."

"We took it off the hook." I smiled at that. Nothing thwarted the 'Burg grapevine like a busy signal. "Besides, your Ranger didn't seem to mind."

My family doesn't do emotion and sentiment, we do food and sarcasm. The fact that my mother was here in my hospital room told me how worried she had been. She pulled a couple of magazines and a crossword puzzle book from the bag she was carrying and laid them on the bed table. She fussed around the room, looking for something to straighten or tidy, but finding nothing to do, she returned to my side and straightened my blankets.

"I'm surprised your Ranger isn't here. He hardly left your side the whole time you were in ICU," my mother remarked. This was the second time she had referred to him as "my Ranger." I kind of like the sound of it.

The next two days passed in agonizing slowness. I had a steady stream of visitors, including my mother, grandmother, father and sister, as well as Lula and Connie. Ranger came later after visiting hours were over and left sometime after I fell asleep. He would pull the chair from the corner over beside my bed and we would talk quietly. He told me stories about his family and a lot of it seemed vaguely familiar. I was not surprised to learn these were the same stories he had told me while I was in ICU. After a while, he would tell me to get some rest and then quietly hold my hand, gently stroking the back of it with his thumb, until I fell asleep. On the second night, as I drifted off I had the realization that, even though we had been intimate on several occasions, this was the first time I felt a real intimacy with Ranger.

On the third day, the doctor declared me fit for release. I had received a full course of antibiotics to stave off infection and had not suffered any set-backs from the punctured lung. I had orders to take it easy and listen to my body. The only restrictions I had were the ones my own body would place on me as I healed.

I was anxious to get home, but Ranger and my mother each wanted me to stay with them for a few days. I really didn't feel up to participating in the morning battle for the bathroom, so I declined my mother's offer. As tempting as it was to stay with Ranger, I still had a lot to do at home before I moved in just a few weeks. It would be easier if I could work my way through things as I had the energy, rather than running back and forth from Haywood.

Ranger drove me home and got me settled on the couch. I was surprised at how drained I was just from walking from the Cayenne to the elevator. My ribs ached and it was hard to get comfortable. I hated the way the pain medication made me feel, but I gladly accepted the small pill and bottle of water from Ranger.

"Thanks, Ranger. As much as I appreciate all you've done, I'm kicking you out. The meds are going to make me sleep and I've taken up way too much of your time these last few days."

"Babe," he replied. I took that to mean he didn't mind.

"I'm serious. I'll be fine. My mom will be over later to bring Rex and to check on me. I'll keep my cell phone right beside me in case I need anything in the meantime. Now go away." This got an almost smile and a kiss on the top of my head.

"I'll go, but I'll be back later with dinner. Get some rest," he ordered. I hate being told what to do, but this time it sounded like a pretty good idea so I decided to listen.

I woke up when my parents came in a little while later. My dad was carrying Rex's tank and my mom had two bags of groceries. She stocked my empty fridge with milk, orange juice, fruit, deli meat and cheese. Cereal, soup and crackers went in the cupboard beside my peanut butter and the loaf of worthless white bread was placed on the counter. Good to know I wouldn't starve for the next few days.

Once they left, I put in a movie and laid down on the couch. I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, Ranger was crouched in front of the couch gentling pushing the hair out of my face. I knew it was him without ever opening my eyes from the faint aroma of Bvlgari shower gel. A flash of lust shot through me like heat lightning. After my convalescence, maybe we could play naughty nurse and dirty doctor.

"Babe, I'll play anything you want," he said with a sexy grin. I felt the heat rise in my cheeks.

"Sorry, I must still be under the effects of the medication," I said as I sat up. Ranger went into the kitchen and brought back two bowls of what looked like a chicken stew. He set the bowls on the coffee table and returned to the kitchen for crusty bread and two bottles of water.

After dinner, Ranger helped me take a shower. At first I was mortified at the thought of needing help, but he made it feel completely natural as he gently washed my body and hair. I was still trying to reconcile this caring, attentive person to the Ranger I thought I knew. Lester's words about Ranger just being part he played echoed in my mind. I felt like I was finally getting to know the man behind the mystery. I felt like I was finally getting to know Carlos.

Once I was fed and clean, I was exhausted. My ribs were aching again and all I wanted to do was sleep. I slipped into an old Rangeman t-shirt and crawled into bed. Ranger said he had some work to do on his laptop and gave me a kiss on the forehead. Sometime in the night, I woke to find him beside me, my hand nestled in his. He had been careful to leave a little distance between us so he wouldn't jostle my ribs, but he made sure I knew he was there. For almost as long as I've known him, he's found a reason to touch me, whether it was his hand on the back of my neck, or brushing my hair off of my face, or wiping a tear off my cheek after an especially bad day. This brought a smile to my face as I drifted back to sleep.


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Thank you all for your incredible support. Writing has been going slowly as of late, but your kind words and encouragement keep the process moving. I love to hear your thoughts and suggestions, so please keep them coming.

Anything recognizable belongs to JE.

Chapter 26

We settled into a routine as the days went by. When he wasn't working Ranger would bring dinner, usually courtesy of Ella, and stay the night. The first time he had to work, Les showed up with meatball subs from Pino's and we watched _The Transporter_. Another night, Les and Bobby brought pizza from Shorty's and we played poker. I didn't have any poker chips so we used hamster crunchies instead. We tried using potato chips at first, but Les kept eating mine.

After the first week home I was going stir crazy. Pain from my broken ribs made it impossible to sort and pack. Plus, my mother and grandmother had gone through and cleaned my entire apartment the first day I was home, so there was really nothing for me to do. Ranger suggested that, when I felt up to it, I could go back to work running computer checks at Rangeman. This had some appeal, as I could work as I felt up to it and then use his apartment to rest or take a nap if I got tired. Not to mention, there was always food available thanks to Ella.

Two days after Ranger made the offer of returning to work, I decided I was ready to give it a try. Lester volunteered to come pick me up since I wasn't comfortable driving yet. It took most of the morning and several rest breaks, but when Les showed up to take me to Rangeman I was ready. I moved slowly, but was able to make it down to his car and into the Rangeman building under my own power. As I walked from the elevator to my cube, several of the Merry Men called out to say hi and let me know it was good to have me back. It was nice to see everyone, but I was surprised to feel how drained I felt just from getting ready and moving around a bit.

Not wanting Lester to see just how spent I was, I did my best not to collapse into the chair at my desk. Either I wasn't as successful as I had hoped or his ESP was working, because he asked, "You okay, Steph?"

"Yeah, I'm okay Les. Just a little surprised at how much that little bit of effort took out of me. I just need a minute to catch my breath and then I'll be fine. Sitting at my desk running searches doesn't take any more effort than sitting on my couch watching TV." I told him.

"Do you want me to get you something from the break room? A bottle of water or a snack?" he offered.

"That would be great," I replied. "If you wouldn't mind, would you grab me a sandwich or something. Getting ready took longer than I thought it would and I didn't take time to eat."

Lester was back in short order with a cup of hearty chicken noodles soup, half a lean roast beef sandwich with lettuce, tomato and red onion, and a bottle of water. With a grin, he reached in the side pocket of his cargo pants and pulled out a snack pack of Oreo cookies. "Sorry, I didn't have any Tastykakes in my contraband stash." I laughed and ate the cookies first. No point in taking the risk of having the contraband discovered and confiscated.

I worked for a couple of hours before I felt I had reached my limit for the first day. I didn't want to overdo it or risk a setback for pushing myself too hard, too fast, so I shut down my computer and walked the short distance to Ranger's office. I knocked on the door frame of the open door and walked in.

"Babe," he said by way of greeting. I loved the way the corners of his mouth turned up and his eyes softened when he looked up at me from his desk.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to let you know I'm done for the day. It was a short day but I don't want to overdo it on my first day back," I explained.

He pushed back from his desk and came around to where I was standing. He gently took my face in his hands and brought his mouth down to mine. The kiss was tender, but I could feel the underlying passion that is always just below the surface of a Ranger kiss.

The kiss ended and he pulled back slightly but continued to cup my face in his hands. "You weren't interrupting. Would you like to stay here with me tonight? You could go up to seven now and take a nap. I'll be up when I'm done and we can have dinner and relax."

This sounded like a great plan to me. I had stopped by with the intent to ask Ranger if there was someone who could take me home, but this way I didn't have to be a bother. As an added bonus, I got to enjoy a relaxing evening with Ranger and sleep in his amazing bed. The only thing that would make it better would be if I could spend the evening with naked Ranger, but my injuries still limited our physical activities. I was looking forward to the day we could move beyond gentle kisses and soft caresses.

I took the elevator up to 7 and headed for the bedroom. I was exhausted and barely had the energy to shuck my shoes, socks and pants before flopping down in my thinking position. Before I could even form one thought, I was out like a light. The next thing I knew Ranger was sitting beside me on the bed and telling me Ella had just brought dinner. I must have convinced him I was awake because he gave me a quick kiss and told me he'd be waiting for me in the kitchen.

I made my way into the bathroom and took care of business, threw some water on my face and pulled my hair back into a ponytail. No need to make the poor man eat dinner with the Bride of Frankenstein. Ella had prepared a scrumptious looking pasta dish with lots of vegetables and grilled chicken in what looked like some kind of lemon butter sauce. I must have looked surprised at the pasta because Ranger said, "The pasta is whole wheat penne and the sauce is made with olive oil, not butter."

Ranger pulled a bottle of white wine from the wine fridge under the counter and poured us each a glass. We took our plates and wine to the small but tasteful dining area beside the kitchen. The pasta dish was a much healthier version than anything I would normally eat, but the first bite had my taste buds dancing for joy. After dinner, Ranger loaded our dishes in the dishwasher and we settled in on the sofa in his den to watch a movie. He sat in the corner with his legs out in front of him on the couch. This way I would be comfortable as I leaned back against him. We had tried several different ways of sitting so Ranger could hold me, but with the broken ribs it was hard to find one that was comfortable. Not for the first time, I wondered at all the time Ranger spent with me in the evenings. I knew enough about him to know that if Ranger didn't want to be here he wouldn't be, so I decided just to accept the fact that this is where he wanted to be.

Over the next week or so my convalescence continued and became easier to deal with once I was able to feel productive again. I wouldn't be able to go back to work for Vinnie for several more weeks, but Ranger had offered to have Rangeman cover for me while I healed. I did the desk work and the Merry Men would make the capture. Vinnie was thrilled with the arrangement and hadn't mentioned bringing in Joyce Barnhardt once. This thrilled Lula and Connie.

By the end of the third week, I was starting to get my energy back and was finally making some progress on getting my apartment packed up. The closing date on my new townhouse was rapidly approaching and, despite all the times my apartment had been firebombed, I was discovering I had a lot more stuff than I realized.

I had spent the morning going through my closet and sorting my clothes and shoes. No point in moving things I didn't need to, so I was pulling out anything that no longer fit or I didn't wear. By mid-afternoon I felt like I had made a lot of progress and decided to take a break and go see Lula and Connie at the bonds office.

I parked in front of the bonds office and grabbed the box of donuts I had picked up on my way over. As I opened the door, I heard a file drawer slam and Lula muttering angrily under her breath. I looked at Connie and she gave a small shake of her head.

"A friend of Lula's was killed on Stark Street last night," Connie said quietly. "She was found strangled in an alley."

Lula slapped the file she was holding on top of the filing cabinet. "She wasn't my friend. If she were my friend, she would have told me she needed some help. Dericia had a baby girl she was trying to take care of. She had gotten off the streets and she was clean. She was going to beauty school during the day, but she needed to support her daughter, so she went back to hooking. She couldn't find a job because she had a record. That's why she was going to beauty school. Figured she'd open her own shop. And she planned to hire other working girls who wanted to change their lives. Now that's all gone and that baby don't have a mama anymore."

"Lula, I'm sorry about your friend. But why would she go back to hooking if she had gotten out?" I asked.

Lula shook her head. "It's not easy to break out of a life like you find on Stark Street. Seems like everything is set up to keep the folks FROM a place like Stark Street IN a place like Stark Street. Now me, for example, I've had a lot of help most people don't get. I got lucky to find a job working for the little weasel in there," she said, nodding toward Vinnie's office. "I found a place to help me earn my GED and now I'm taking classes at the community college."

"Most places won't hire a high school drop-out or someone with a criminal record. Most 'hos have been picked up at least for 'hoing, and a lot of them have possession charges. It's not the drugs they're doin', it's the drugs their business manager makes them keep some on hand to offer their customers as a 'value added' service. Anything to make a buck," she explained. "It don't matter that those women don't have a choice, a working girl gets picked up with product and the judge is going to throw her ass in jail. Once she's a felon, there's no job, no way to support herself or her kids."

I hung out with Lula and Connie for a while, eating donuts, catching up on 'Burg gossip and trying to lift Lula's spirits. Before I realized it, it was after 5 o'clock, so we tossed the empty donut box and locked up the office. My mother and grandmother were out of town attending the funeral of my Grandpa Mazur's last remaining sister and I had promised my mom I would pick up a pizza and have dinner with my dad. As I drove to Pino's I thought about what Lula had said. I was beginning to appreciate what it took for Lula to be able to leave that world behind.

As I stood by the counter waiting for my order, I glanced around the family dining area and saw Joe seated at one of the booths. He was using his finger to caress the arm of the blonde sitting across from him and, even from across the room, I could see he was turning on the charm. I hadn't seen him since the night Chagall had attacked him, but I heard he had taken a lot of heat for leaving the stake-out early. Rumor had it there was now a notice of disciplinary action in his file and there had been some speculation that internal affairs was investigating several recent drug busts he had been involved with. As angry as I was for what he did to Ranger, I would never have wished this on him.

I could tell by the body language that Joe was really turning it on. He flashed his super sexy grin at his dinner companion before glancing around for their waitress. As his eyes scanned the room, I knew the moment he spotted me at the counter. The finger stilled and the smile faded. He said something to the blonde and she looked around the corner of the booth in my direction. I half expected to see Terry Gilman and was surprised to see it was her little sister Tammy.

Tammy always lived in the shadow of her big sister Terry. While Terry was captain of the cheer squad in high school, Tammy played clarinet in the pep band. After Terry graduated high school with honors she went off to cheer for the NY Giants. Tammy graduated in the middle of her class and was accepted to a nice state college. With a failed marriage behind her, Terry returned to Trenton and was believed to be one of her Uncle Vito's enforcers. Tammy graduated from college and returned home single. Her role in the Family is unknown.

And while Terry had overshadowed her little sister their entire lives, she was also fiercely protective of her baby sister. Anyone messing with Tammy would answer to Terry. I wondered how Terry felt about Tammy dating Joe Morelli.

The waitress appeared at their table with the check and Joe tossed some money on the table. He had his hand on the small of her back as he and Tammy walked towards me. I smiled at Tammy and said hello.

"How are you doing, Steph? Looks like you're getting around alright," Joe said by way of greeting.

"I'm getting stronger every day," I replied. There was an awkward pause where 'Burg etiquette dictated I should inquire about him, but I really didn't care. Then I remembered Lula's friend. "Do the police have anything on the hooker that was found strangled?"

"Which one?" Joe asked.

"What do you mean, 'which one'? How many have there been?" I guess I had been more cut off from things than I realized. I was surprised Connie or Lula hadn't said anything.

"There have been three in the last two weeks. We've been working to determine if the three are related. Was one of them FTA?"

I shook my head. "No, the one strangled last night was a friend of Lula's. I was just hoping the police had a lead or something."

Joe didn't reply, which led me to believe the police did have something. Unfortunately, whatever it was, it didn't appear Joe was interested in sharing it. Not that Joe had been forthcoming with information on an investigation in the past, not even when we were together or it involved me.

The kid behind the counter indicated my order was ready so I took my leave of Joe and Tammy. I grabbed the pizza and headed to my parent's house. Dad and I ate in the living room on TV trays while we watched the game. The great thing about hanging with my dad is there doesn't need to be a lot of conversation for us to enjoy spending time together. We bond through our mutual frustration at bad calls and game officials who are obviously in need of glasses. This game was no exception. Despite the lousy officiating, our team had won and I was smiling as I wished my father a goodnight and headed back to my apartment.

When I pulled into the parking lot, Joe's SUV was parked in my usual spot by the dumpster. I glanced up at my apartment, but the windows were dark. Looking back at the SUV, I realized there was someone in the driver's seat. I parked but left my car running and made no move to get out. The driver's door of the SUV opened and Joe got out. He walked towards my car and I powered down the window.

"What are you doing here, Joe?"

"I wanted to talk to you in private," he replied. "Can we go upstairs?"

"We can talk here." I didn't want to encourage Joe in any way, and with my broken ribs I knew I wouldn't be able to fend off any aggressive behavior. Joe had become unpredictable and I had no idea what he had come to talk about.

"Why do you have to be like that, Cupcake? You know I would never hurt you."

I ignored the annoying 'Cupcake' and asked again, "What are you doing here, Joe?"

He rested both hands on the door frame and looked down at his feet. He drew in a deep breath and blew it out loudly before lifting his head to look at me. "I need your help. I need your help to prove I didn't kill those hookers."


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Thank you all for your patience! RL has been especially challenging this year and the world seems to have gone mad in the meantime. It is certainly taking me much longer than anticipated, but our story will be completed eventually. In the meantime, SMUT warning for this chapter!

Standard disclaimer, anything recognizable is not mine.

Chapter 27

I didn't want to be alone with Joe, but the parking lot wasn't the place for a lengthy conversation. If I were being honest with myself, I would admit there was a part of me that wanted to tell him to go screw himself and solve his own problems. But then, my natural curiosity won out and I had to know why he would be suspected in the death of the three women down on Stark Street. I suggested that we go to the 24 hour diner on Hamilton Avenue so we could talk. The hour was late enough that the casual diners would be gone, but early enough that the bar crowds wouldn't be rolling in.

I told Joe I'd follow him over and found a parking spot near the front. We walked in together and snagged a booth against the back wall. The waitress came over and we both ordered coffee and a piece of pie. We sat in silence, not wanting to be interrupted when the waitress returned with our order. It was only minutes before two generous slices of lemon meringue pie were set on the table and the waitress told us to give a shout if we needed anything else.

I picked up my fork and looked across the table at Joe. "So why would anyone think you are involved with the murder of three women on Stark Street?" I asked.

"You know how I've been working with vice for a while?" I nodded in reply as I took a bite of my pie. "I've been spending time on Stark trying to find some information on trafficking victims. I can't go into the details, but it ties into the undercover operation I was on and the Chagall's. I met with each of the women on the night they were killed. It's all circumstantial, but I've got credibility issues thanks to Manoso. Plus, I have no solid alibi."

"You don't expect me to give you an alibi, do you?" I asked incredulously.

He shook his head. "I know better than to ask you to lie for me, Cupcake." I glared at the nickname as he continued. "What I need for you to do is go down to Stark Street and see if anyone knows anything. No one is talking to the cops, but you have a way of getting people to talk to you."

I set my fork down on my pie plate with a clatter. I had suddenly lost my appetite for dessert. "And what are they going to say, Joe? Because there is something you definitely aren't telling me." I stared at him across the table waiting to see if he was going to answer me. Joe was wearing his cop face as he stared back across the table at me. Suddenly, the light bulb went off above my head and I asked, "Will the cops find physical evidence of you on those women, Joe? Is that what you're afraid of?"

Joe's eyes dropped to his untouched pie and he mumbled softly, "I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know, Joe? Did you use a condom or not?" I whispered harshly.

Joe looked up and the cop face was gone, replaced by an agonized expression. "I don't know if I had sex with them, Steph. I have no memory of what happened after I met with each of the three victims."

"How can you know you met with them, but have no memory of what happened?" I wondered if Joe was trying to establish some kind of defense and was testing it out on me. God knows I was having a hard time believing him, who knows what a jury might think.

"I don't know. It only happened on the nights the women were killed. I've met with others and nothing happened. There are no other missing hours. But each time I've blacked out, a woman has turned up dead."

"You must remember something from each of those nights," I insisted. "Tell me what you do remember."

"I met Alicia Hernandez behind the liquor store on Stark Street. I asked her what she knew about any new girls showing up on the street. We talked for a few minutes and I left. The next thing I knew, I woke up in my car parked in front of my house and several hours had passed." As Joe was relaying his memories of that night, I watched his face. My spidey sense was going crazy, and I was trying to figure out what had set it off.

"Do you remember walking back to your car?" I asked.

"No." he said with a small shake of his head.

I remembered something Lula said when she was talking about her friend who was murdered. "Joe, did you get any drugs from Alicia?"

Joe's cop face dropped into place and he replied, "Why the hell would you ask that?"

That response answered my question. Pushing my half-eaten piece of pie aside, I leaned forward and said quietly, "No more half-truths or lies if you want my help. You have to tell me everything you can remember and if I find out you've been anything less than completely forthcoming, I'm done. Do you understand me?"

Joe nodded in agreement. Our waitress came over to ask if we wanted a warm-up on our coffee. We both shook our heads no and she walked away.

"Tell me about Alicia, Joe. What did you get from her."

"Steph, it isn't like I went looking for dope. But sometimes I have to go along with whatever to maintain my credibility. She offered it to me and I took it. It's no big deal. It's not like I'm an addict or something."

"Did it ever occur to you that this drug might be the reason you don't remember anything, Joe?" I was getting fed up with his bullshit, and I practically growled out the question.

"Of course it did, Cupcake. I'm not stupid." I was tempted to reply to the contrary, but I decided I didn't want to sit in the diner arguing with Joe all night.

"Tell me about the other two. Did you do drugs with either of them?" I asked.

"No, I was freaked out about what happened with Alicia, so I didn't take anything from Shonda Williams. I remember leaving the alley and getting back to my car that night, but then nothing. I woke up parked in front of my house around dawn with a dull headache and no memory of how I got home. Almost the exact same thing with Dericia Johnson. She didn't offer me drugs, though."

"Alright Joe, I'll ask around and see if I can find out anything. But if I find out you had anything to do with these murders, even if you don't remember, I'm not going to protect you." I signaled for the waitress for the check.

I walked out into the night air as Joe went to the register to pay the bill. Joe pushed open the glass door and walked over. "Thanks for your help on this, Steph."

"I'm not doing this for you, Joe. I'm doing this to help find justice for those murdered women." I left Joe standing in the diner parking lot as I got in my car and headed back home.

It was late by the time I got to bed, but I couldn't sleep. My mind was churning, trying to process and make sense of everything Joe had told me. Having experienced the amnesia like effects of a drug like GHB, if what Joe was saying was true, it might mean he had somehow ingested a similar drug. But how? And why would someone be drugging him? As these questions continued to rattle around in my brain, I finally drifted off to sleep.

Far too soon, the alarm beside my bed was going off. I gave it a half-hearted swat to shut it up and buried my head back in my pillow. I started to get comfortable again then bolted up as I remembered that today I was closing on my new home. I crawled out of bed with more enthusiasm than I generally display first thing in the morning. I set up the coffee maker to do its thing while I headed to the shower to do mine. The closing was set for 10:00 am and I had about an hour and a half to get ready and get to the lawyer's office.

Hector was going to meet me at the townhouse at 11:00 so I could let him in to start upgrading the security. He could have just let himself in, but I appreciated the fact that he wasn't going to just break in to my new home. I had tried to tell Ranger, Lester and Hector that the current security set-up was more than adequate. In fact, it was far superior to my current system of stacking kitchenware in front of the door. However, my words fell on deaf ears as I tried to make my case. I finally decided it wasn't a hill worth dying on and it would be easier just to let them do their thing.

I had packed up everything I was taking with me and Eddie, Lester and Cal were going to be at my apartment at noon to start moving boxes for me. Most of my furniture was second or third hand, and was going to be tossed or donated to a local charity. The new dining room table, living room set and bedroom suite I had picked out last week would be delivered to my new home this afternoon and the guys had offered to stick around to help me get everything set up.

Ranger had been called away to the Boston office at the last minute and wouldn't be back in town until this evening. He was going to bring dinner when he got back so we could celebrate my new home. Although we had spent almost every night since my attack sleeping in the same bed, out of deference to my injuries we had yet to resume the sexual side of our relationship. I intended to change that tonight. I didn't know what Ranger had in mind, but my idea of 'celebrate' sent a flush of warmth south and brought to mind an image of him celebrating with me on my new granite counter top. And on my new bed. And in my new shower.

I gave my head a shake and told myself to focus. As I went through my morning routine, I realized this was the last time I'd be getting ready in my ugly bathroom. As hideous as it was, I was a little sad. This apartment had been my home for a long time. Sure, there had been some bad times like finding a dead man on my couch, and a man being blown up in my foyer, and Ranger being shot...I forgot where I had been heading with this train of thought, but I was no longer sad to be leaving.

I quickly finished up with my hair and make-up routine and went back into my bedroom to get dressed. I had packed up most of my clothes for the move, but left out a pair of wide leg black pants and a periwinkle blue wrap shirt to wear to the lawyer's office this morning. A small duffel bag by the door contained the t-shirt, jeans and sneakers I would need to change into after the closing.

Shortly before 10:00, I was shown into the office of Ranger's attorney. It didn't take long to sign the stack of papers that goes along with buying a home, and by 10:30 I shook his hand, thanked him for his help, and was walking out of the door with more debt than I had ever had in my life and a set of keys to show for it. I left the office and drove to my new home. I wanted the chance to spend a few minutes alone and walk through the house before Hector arrived.

The rest of my day was a whirlwind of moving. Hector and Manny had most of the security in place by the time Eddie, Lester, Cal and I arrived with everything from my apartment. I had made sure I labeled the boxes and was able to direct the guys on where to put them as they were brought in. While I was mostly recovered from my run-in with Marcel, I still had to be careful not to overdo the heavy stuff.

The furniture store delivery truck arrived just as we finished unloading the boxes and had everything set up and placed in no time at all. As much as I hated the moving process, having all the muscle and manpower had made it so much easier. I offered to order pizzas for everyone, but Lester and Cal had a surveillance shift they needed to get back for and Eddie had promised Shirley he would watch the kids so she could go to a purse party. Hector and Manny had finished up before the furniture delivery and had left an hour ago. So after several hours of hustle and bustle, I was now standing in my new home surrounded by near silence and a lot of boxes.

I went into the kitchen and smiled at Rex's cage proudly placed on my granite counter top. I decided to start unpacking the kitchen since we would need dishes to eat on when Ranger came by later. Given my lack of culinary skill, it didn't take long to unpack all of my kitchenware, dishes and utensils. The pantry was next, and unpacking my food stores required even less time than unpacking my kitchenware.

Next up was the bedroom. The guys had set the bed up so all I had to do was make it. I had splurged and bought a set of Egyptian cotton sheets that were nicer than anything I had ever slept in outside of Haywood. They weren't 1000 thread count, but they were still going to feel amazing.

Ranger had said he'd be here at 7:00 and I didn't want to meet him at the door covered in dirt and sweat from moving. With the bed squared away, I grabbed the Victoria's Secret bag that I had tucked into my duffel bag and headed to the bathroom to try out my new shower.

The box labeled bathroom was sitting on the floor near the linen closet and it didn't take long to find everything I needed. After I was showered, shaved and buffed, I slathered on a light moisturizer to make my skin silky soft. I spent a few minutes drying my hair before slipping on the sapphire blue satin camisole set I had bought especially for tonight. A dab of Dolce Vita on my pulse points completed my preparations just as the doorbell chimed. I gave myself one last look in the vanity mirror before heading back downstairs.

I remembered to check the peephole before opening the door. With my luck I'd open the door in my lingerie to the neighborhood welcome wagon. Spying Ranger, I slid the lock bar back and opened the door. I made sure to stay slightly back and out of sight from the street, just in case someone was passing by.

Ranger had taken the time to change from his standard uniform into a pair of dark wash denim jeans and red button down shirt. The jeans hugged his body in all the right places and the buttons on the shirt were just begging for my fingers to release them. I had planned to act the seductress when he walked through the door, but he had me so hot and bothered all I could do is stand there and stare.

Ranger's eyes widened ever so slightly as they started at my face and traveled slowly down and then back up my body. His almost smile broadened into a full blown grin as I felt myself warm from the heat of his gaze.

He held up a picnic basket with a big ivory colored bow on the handle that I hadn't noticed before. "Ella sent dinner and a housewarming gift, but I suddenly find myself hungry for something besides food."

Ranger stepped over the threshold, set down the basket and shut and locked the door, never once taking his eyes off me. He moved to stand directly in front of me and his hands remained at his side as he held my gaze. "It looks to me like you may have had something in mind as an appetizer," he said in a low, sexy voice.

My hands moved of their own volition. I laid my palms flat against his rock hard abdomen and slid them slowly up the silk of his shirt across his pectorals to the top button. One by one, the buttons were released until I reached the bottom where his shirt was tucked into his waistband. I tugged the bottom free and undid the final button. My hands repeated their original path, this time trailing across warm skin. I scraped my fingernails lightly across his nipples and his eyes darkened.

Pushing the edges of his shirt back slightly, I finally broke eye contact and stepped close enough to feather kisses along his jawline. The scent of Bvlgari was intoxicating as I slowly nipped, kissed and licked my way down his neck. I used my nails to lightly pinch his puckered nipple and was rewarded by a faint moan. I continued my delicious assault on his bared chest, savoring the taste and texture of taut skin over rippling muscles.

He stood patiently, hands still by his side, while I took my time to luxuriate in the glory that is Ranger. I kissed my way back up his neck and back across his jawline. My hands went under his shirt and around his back as my mouth claimed his. He finally brought his hands up and pulled me carefully against him as our kisses grew more urgent. All I could think about was getting this man naked and inside me. I pushed his shirt off his shoulders and he let go of me long enough to finish peeling it off. While he was taking care of the shirt, I went to work on the waistband of his jeans.

My lust fogged brain made my fingers clumsy and I struggled with the lone button on his pants. Ranger reached to help and I playfully slapped his hands away. "You are my housewarming gift to myself and I'm going to enjoy unwrapping you all by myself," I told him before giving his nipple a light bite.

This got a sexy little chuckle. "I'm all yours, Babe."

Finally, I had his jeans open and pushed down his hip far enough to continue with my appetizer course. I lightly stroked his length as I once again began kissing and nibbling on his neck. I ran my thumb across the tip of his erection and felt a bead of pre-cum already leaking out. My mouth started making the journey south until I found what I had been craving. I used my tongue and lips to tease him before taking into my mouth and to the back of my throat in one swift movement.

Ranger groaned and buried his fingers into my hair as I moved him slowly in and out of my mouth. He had told me once that he had the muscle but I had the power, and hearing his moans of pleasure was a pure power trip. As much as I enjoyed teasing him with my mouth, I was getting so turned on by the noises he was making, I was ready to self-combust.

Ranger pulled back and the hands that had been in my hair were now gently lifting me up from the floor. Being careful of my ribs, Ranger carried me into the kitchen and set me on the breakfast bar. My camisole flew off and Ranger's mouth and hands were on my breasts, nipping, suckling and tweaking my nipples. My head fell back and a soft moan escaped. Ranger continued to kiss and nip at me as he moved back up to my neck.

"Lean back, Babe," he whispered, nipping at my earlobe. I leaned back on my elbows and lifted my hips at his urging. Quickly, the shorts from my camisole set disappeared. I heard Ranger whisper to himself "So beautiful" as he gently lifted my legs up over his shoulders. I laid back completely, gasping at the cool granite on my bare back but was soon distracted by Ranger's warm mouth.

Ranger slowly licked up the length of my folds, lapping up the evidence of how turned on it made me to tease him earlier. His hands were entwined with mine on the counter, so he had only his lips and tongue with which to torment me. He alternated licking and sucking on my already engorged nub, taking his time to build my pleasure higher and higher. This is something I realized the first time we had slept together after the DeChooch deal - for Ranger, the journey is just as important as the destination.

Before long, I was begging for release and Ranger happily obliged. As my orgasm exploded through me, I used his hands to pull myself hard against his mouth, prolonging the intense pleasure he knew how to deliver. I lay on the breakfast bar gasping for a moment before looking down my body to see a very smug looking grin on his face.

"What do you say we take this upstairs, Babe. It's your show, but that granite must be getting a little hard on the backbone." I thought that sounded like a brilliant idea.


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: Thank you to all who have read, reviewed, favorited and/or followed this story. I truly appreciate you all.

Everything in this chapter pertaining to DNA comes from internet research, primarily at the National Institute of Justice website. Any mistakes are completely mine.

Any characters you recognize belong to JE.

Chapter 28

My new Egyptian cotton sheets were in complete disarray and I had a very satisfied smile on my face when we made our way back downstairs to the picnic basket that had been left by the door. I was ravenous and eager to see what Ella had prepared as a special housewarming dinner. Ella outdid herself with a homemade lasagna, a loaf of crusty Italian bread and a very nice bottle of Chianti. I'm sure the lasagna was made with organic whole wheat noodles, low fat cheese and some kind of tofu Italian sausage, but the way Ella prepared food you never knew you were eating healthy. There was also a large salad, but we both knew that wasn't for me. However, the double portion of tiramisu was definitely for me.

I put the lasagna and bread in the oven to warm while Ranger poured us both a glass of wine. I was tempted to sample the tiramisu while we waited for dinner but I decided to save it for after dinner when I could savor the flavors rather than inhaling the whole thing without tasting it. Maybe even convince Ranger to let me use his delectable body as a serving dish.

Once everything was heated, we took our wine and our plates to the new dining room table. "Have you heard about the murders down on Stark Street?" I asked as we ate.

"You're going to have to be a little more specific, Babe. Lots of murders happen on Stark Street," he replied.

"The three hookers who were killed in the last couple of weeks. All strangled. The last one was a friend of Lula's," I said.

Ranger nodded. "I've heard some rumors, but haven't heard that they have any suspects."

"Joe came to see me last night. He told me he had gone to see each of the women on the night they were murdered. Claims that on each night, he blacked out and has no recollection of how he got home from Stark Street." I recounted everything Joe had told me about the nights in question.

"Seems a little too contrived," Ranger said.

I nodded my head in agreement. "I thought the same thing. But I can't get those poor women out of my mind." Sadly, I knew these murders wouldn't be a high priority case unless the police decided they were dealing with a serial killer. Budgets were tight and resources were scarce in the TPD, and violent crimes on Stark Street were all too common.

As we ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes, a plan began to form in my mind. "I'm going to ask Lula to go with me to talk to the people she knows, but would you mind if I borrowed Hector to come along with us? I love Lula, but she isn't reliable for back-up and she has a way of creating trouble where there was none. The gang bangers won't talk to me or Lula, but they might talk to Hector."

"Agreed. I was going to suggest you take one of the guys to watch your back, but I like your idea better. Proud of you, Babe," Ranger said with a smile.

Conversation moved to less violent topics as we finished dinner. Ranger told me about his trip to Boston and I told him about my day. Even after all these weeks, I was still getting used to the man of mystery sharing his day with me. I had worried that the time spent opening up to me in the hospital was a pity reaction and he would revert back to one word sentences once I recovered. That fear had proven groundless, and I still enjoyed hearing about even the most mundane details of his days.

We cleaned the kitchen and moved to the living room. Ranger offered to get my TV and DVD player setup while I unpacked a couple more boxes. There wasn't a lot to unpack downstairs, since my living room had generally borne the brunt of the firebombs at my apartment. Once I had found a home for my DVDs and my few personal items, we opted to watch a movie and settled in on my new sofa. I had been steadily increasing my workouts to rebuild my stamina, but it had been a long and busy day and I was ready for a little down time.

When I woke the next morning, it took my brain a second to remember where I was. I had a vague memory of Ranger carrying me up the stairs and then later, another of him kissing me and telling me he was going for a run before heading to Rangeman. Thinking back, the last thing I clearly remember was sipping my wine while wrapped up in Ranger's arm as we watched a movie from my new sofa. Some hot date I was. I peeked under the covers and saw I was still wearing the pilfered Rangeman t-shirt and boy-cut shorts I put on before dinner. Not that Ranger would indulge in sex with a partner who was not actively participating, but I was in the habit of checking after years of Joe helping himself.

A quick glance at the clock told me it was time to get a move on. I wanted to stop by the bonds office to check in with Connie and talk to Lula. I also wanted to ask Ranger if I could use one of the conference rooms at Rangeman to have another meeting with Joe. It felt like there was more to the story and I wanted to have him go through everything again with Ranger and Hector there. I also needed to check with Ranger to see what Hector's schedule was and when he would be available to go with us to talk with people about the murders.

My morning routine didn't take long and I was on the road in less than an hour. I stopped to grab donuts and pulled into a spot half a block from the bonds office. Ranger's Cayenne was parked right in front of the bonds office. Stupid parking karma. Ranger walked out of the bonds office and waited for me to walk the short distance. "Babe. Those things will kill you," he said looking at the pastry box in my hand.

"I was hoping someone might help me burn the calories off later," I said with what I hoped was a sexy smile.

The corners of Ranger's mouth tipped up slightly. "Sure, what time do you want to meet me at the gym?" Oops, so much for sexy.

"I'll take a pass on that, but I would like to set up a time to have Joe come to Rangeman and meet with us if at all possible. I was thinking about what you said last night - his story sounded too contrived. I'd like to have him go through it again and see if there was something he may have left out or if anything raises any additional questions with you."

Ranger nodded. "Have him meet us at Rangeman at 6:00 tonight. I'll have Hector sit in as well. Hector may not speak English, but he understands a lot more than he lets on. I want him to have the information first hand since he will be the one going down there with you."

Placing a hand at the back of my neck, Ranger pulled my mouth to his and gave me a bone melting kiss right there on the sidewalk in front of the bonds office. "Gotta go, Babe. I'll see you later."

I couldn't wipe the grin off my face as I walked into the office and set the donuts down on Connie's desk. Connie was using a file folder to fan herself as Lula got up from the fake leather couch to help herself to the donut. "Girl, I don't know how you two don't melt the sidewalk with all that heat."

This only made the grin grow bigger. "Anything new for me, Connie."

"No, things are slow lately," she said. "But you know it won't last."

I nodded in agreement. Thankfully the part-time work I had been doing for Rangeman made up for the slow days working for Vinnie. "Lula, are you up to helping me do some poking around down on Stark Street? I talked to Joe about your friend's murder and he said she was the third victim in just a few weeks. He said the cops weren't getting anywhere and thought maybe I could convince people to talk to me."

"Huh," she snorted, "I'm surprised the cops are bothering to ask questions, but I'm not surprised no one will talk to them. They aren't going to talk to a skinny white girl, either. You're right, you're gonna need me if you want to find out anything. Folks down there know they can trust Lula. Let's go." She stood up, grabbed the box of donuts from Connie's desk and turned towards the door.

"Hold up!" I said as Connie yelled "Hey, I didn't get one of those, yet."

"I was just asking if you would help me. We're not going right now. One of Ranger's men is going to go with us to help and to watch our backs." Lula walked back to Connie's desk, set the box down and helped herself to another donut. Connie snatched two out of the box, probably in case Lula decided to take off with it again.

"Which one?" Lula asked. "It better not be Tank. That man had his chance. Is it Lester? That man is fine. Almost as fine as Batman."

"No, not Les. I asked Ranger if I could borrow Hector," I said.

"Hector? Isn't he the one with the teardrop tattoos? He scares the crap outta me." This surprised me. I didn't think anybody scared Lula.

"Yeah, that's Hector. He's really a great guy once you get to know him. Plus, he can help with the gang bangers. They aren't going to talk to a woman," I explained as I grabbed a donut from the box. "I'll see you guys later." I needed to call Joe to see if he could meet us at Rangeman, but I was afraid if Lula heard me she would invite herself to sit in on the meeting as well. Not only could Lula be disrupting, but I didn't think Ranger would appreciate having Lula loose in Rangeman.

Joe was hesitant at first, but finally agreed to meet us at Rangeman when I told him I either did this with Ranger's help or not at all. I found it ironic that in all the time Joe and I were together, nosing around alone down on Stark Street was exactly the kind of thing that would set him off, but now that I wasn't with him he was asking me to do it. What he didn't realize was that, while the mayhem that found me was not usually my fault, I had finally admitted to myself it found me because of the choices I made. By carrying a loaded weapon and taking back-up, I was now far more capable of dealing with mayhem when it did find me.

I arrived at Rangeman at 5:30, hoping to have a few moments to go over Joe's story with Hector before Joe arrived. Although Hector understands English, he only speaks Spanish. I wanted Ranger there to translate in case he had any questions about what Joe had told me. Hal told me Ranger was in a meeting but that Hector and Manny had just returned from an install job and were unloading tools and equipment from one of the SUV's. I went down to the garage to help them unload and chatted with Manny as we were putting everything away. With three of us working it didn't take long. I asked Hector if he had "uno momento" before our meeting so I could go over what Joe had already told me. Hector nodded and indicated that he would meet me in the conference room after he cleaned up.

Since Ranger wasn't available to translate if Hector had any questions, I asked Lester to join us. I quickly ran through everything Joe had shared with me and how he had asked me to do some poking around. By the time I had covered everything, Lester was wearing his blank face and Hector looked ready to add another tear drop tattoo.

"Dumb bastard," Lester commented. I'm pretty sure I heard Hector mutter something along the same vein. "So why is he coming here?"

"My spidey sense is telling me there is something more to the story and Ranger agreed," I explained. "We were hoping by having him come in and walk us through each night again, either he would remember a forgotten detail or let something slip he had been trying to hide."

The door to the conference room opened and in walked corporate Ranger. I momentarily lost my train of thought as my eyes took in the man before me. The corners of his mouth tipped up ever so slightly at what must have been a look of naked lust. "Babe."

I tore my eyes off him and indicated to Les and Hector. "I wanted to fill Hector in on the story Morelli gave me about the murdered woman and why we've asked to meet with him. Les was translating for me."

Hector started speaking rapidly to Ranger and Les. I understood a word here and there and was pretty sure I heard my name, but I had no clue what they were saying. It looked as if the three of them were making a plan, but I couldn't be sure because Ranger's tone and facial expression never changed. Finally I got fed up waiting for someone to tell me what they were talking about. "Enough. What did Hector say?" I asked.

"Hector thinks Joe will be more forthcoming without you in the room," Ranger replied. "He says Joe's animosity towards me and his delusion of reuniting with you will keep him from sharing any details that make him look any worse than he already does."

I thought about that for a minute and agreed with what they were saying. "Okay, so how do you want to do this?"

"When Joe gets here, Hector will escort him up to the conference room where we'll be waiting. Babe, I want you to walk him through the story that he told you the other night at the diner. Lester will be monitoring the conversation from the other room and will come in as Joe is finishing up his story. Les will report that there is an alarm going off at your house and we'll leave the room. We can continue to monitor the conversation from my office. Once we're out of the room, Les and Hector will see if they can get anything more from him."

The intercom buzzed and the Rangeman on the front desk announced Joe Morelli was downstairs. Hector went to escort Joe up and Lester went back to his desk to monitor the room. Several minutes later, a rather out of breath Morelli was led into the room. If I had to guess, I would say Hector brought him up to the fifth floor via the stairwell rather than taking the elevator. I glanced over at Hector and saw a hint of mischief in his eye.

Ranger and I sat on one side of the conference table and Joe flopped down in a chair across the table from where we were sitting. Hector took up position beside the door. Joe glanced over at Hector and asked, "You need a bodyguard in your own building, Manoso?"

"Hector will be going with Stephanie when she goes down to Stark Street on your behalf. I've asked him to be here so he can hear what you remember about the nights of the murders."

"So why not just have a seat at the table with the rest of us?" I thought Joe's tone and demeanor were a bit aggressive considering he was here seeking help.

"He prefers to stand. He says it makes it easier to reach his knives that way," Ranger deadpanned.

"Alright, enough Joe. You're here because you asked for my help. Ranger has agreed to offer his resources to help us figure out who murdered those women." I had had enough of Joe's bullshit and the sooner I could get out of here the happier I'd be.

"I'm not asking you to solve the murders, Cupcake. I'm just asking for your help proving I wasn't the one who killed them," Joe said. "You have a knack for stumbling into clues others miss and your dumb luck is almost legendary."

I just stared at Joe dumbfounded. "How did I not see what a complete asshole you are for so long?"

This drew a perplexed look from Joe so I continued. "You come to me asking for help, asking me to go to the one of the place you always said gave you heartburn, and then you sit here and diminish my accomplishments by saying attributing them to a "knack for stumbling into clues" and "dumb luck." Not to mention, you continue to call me by that asinine nickname you gave me when you wrote on the men's room wall at Mario's Sub Shop about taking my virginity. You are a complete and utter asshole, Joe." I looked over at Ranger. "You talk to him, I can't be in here right now." I walked out through the door and shut it noisily behind me. I had messed up the plan, but I just couldn't stay and I knew the guys would adjust.

I went to Lester's cubicle knowing he had been watching everything through the feed. He glanced over at my face and grinned. "Good thing you didn't get a hold of Hector's knives. I'm going to go in and do my thing. You want to watch from here?"

"Yeah, thanks. If I had stayed in there, the three of you would be disposing of a body by the time we were done." I settled into Les' chair and slipped on the headset so I could hear.

Lester knocked once and opened the door. The camera in the conference room was mounted in the corner above the door and offered a complete view of the room. The microphone was located more centrally to allow conversation around the room to be recorded. I would be able to see and hear everything from here.

Lester settled into a seat on Ranger's side of the table and said, "I see you still have a way with women, Morelli."

Joe snorted, "Probably that time of the month. You know how women get."

"Ugh, what the hell was I thinking?" I muttered to no one in particular as the meeting continued on the monitor in front of me.

Ranger asked Joe to start from the night of the first murder and tell them what he could remember. The story Joe told was the same one he had told me at the diner. As Joe was telling them about waking up in front of his house, Lester stopped him.

"You mean to tell me a hooker is offering you free drugs but not free sex?" Lester looked at him questioningly. "That doesn't make sense. If she wanted to offer you something, why something that she had to account for with her dealer?"

Joe scoffed. "I can't understand women any better than the next guy. How should I know?"

Ranger's face could have been cut from stone as he stared across the table at Joe. "You bought the drugs from Alicia. You were there to get information and figured you'd do a little one stop shopping. Did you threaten to bust her for possession if she didn't have sex with you?"

Joe shook his head. "I didn't have sex with her. Even I wouldn't dip my wick in a Stark Street hooker." _Huh, nice to know he draws the line somewhere_ I thought to myself as I continued to watch the monitor.

Ranger continued, "So if you didn't have sex with her, what are you concerned about? How are the police going to place you with the victim the night she was murdered?"

Joe mumbled something but it was so low the microphone didn't pick it up. Lester said, "But you just told us you didn't have sex with her."

"I didn't. I just let her blow me. I didn't sex with her." Joe retorted.

Lester gave a mirthless laugh. "Yeah, that defense didn't work for Bill Clinton, either."

I didn't know whether to laugh at Lester's joke or cry at what Joe had become.

Joe's voice dropped and I had to turn up the volume so I could hear what he was saying. "Listen, I couldn't say anything to Steph, alright. She wouldn't understand. But you guys know how it is when a woman throws herself at you. She offered. She told me she wanted to have something sexy to fantasize about as she was working her trade. I was tryin' to help the poor girl out, okay? Give her a little Italian Stallion liquid magic to get her through her day. I didn't know she'd end up dead with my spunk still in her stomach." Listening to Joe made me retch.

"So the police already have your DNA from the victim," Ranger said.

"Yes, but they don't know it. Alicia had been busy that night. There was DNA from multiple sources in the contents of her stomach. They have not identified any of the men she was with. I'm not sure they can at this point," Joe explained.

"What about Shonda Williams and Dericia Johnson? Did they have your DNA in their stomachs?" I could tell Ranger was about at the end of his patience with Joe. Mine had ended when I walked out of the room.

"Shonda yes, Dericia no. After Shonda was killed, I wasn't going to risk leaving any more evidence in case someone else turned up dead," Joe replied.

"And was Shonda another act of unselfish service by the Italian Stallion?" Lester asked derisively.

Joe shook his head. "No, I had known Shonda for a while. She was always willing and I wasn't about to turn down a freebie. Fortunately, she had other DNA in her stomach as well."

As I listened, I thought to myself _Yeah, lucky you_. I idly wondered if those freebies were happening while we were together. I was so disgusted at this point, I decided I really didn't care.

"Is there anything else you neglected to tell Stephanie?" Ranger asked quietly.

"No, but I did remember something else after I talked to Steph. I had forgotten all about it until today. There was a homeless person in the alleyway when I left both Shonda Williams and Dericia Johnson. I don't remember seeing anyone when we walked into the alley, but I noticed them when I walked out. With Alicia, I don't remember leaving the alley, so I don't know if there was anyone there that night. After both Shonda and Dericia, I can remember making it back to my car before everything goes blank," Joe said.

Nothing more of value came out of the rest of the interview with Joe. Ranger asked Lester to escort Joe out of the building and then came over to Lester's cube to find me. The concern was evident on Ranger's face. "You okay, Babe?" he asked. He knew the long history I had with Joe, and I suspect he knew far more about Joe's extracurricular activities during our relationship than he would ever let on.

"I'm fine," I replied. "I've reached the point where I just don't care anymore. You know what they say, the opposite of love isn't hate, its apathy. Hating Joe would take more energy than I am willing to expend on him. I'm doing this to help find the person who killed Lula's friend and the other two women, not to help Joe. I told him that at the diner, but you know how it's always about him. I'm sure he thinks I'm doing this for him."

I pushed back away from the monitor, stood up and stretched. As I lifted my arms up over my head my shirt pulled out of my waistband and rode up my stomach a little. Ranger's fingers traced a path across my bare stomach. It tickled for a second but then his warm hand moved under my shirt and around to the small of my back. He gently pulled me to him and I ran my hands up the front of his shirt. Although he had removed his tie and unclasped the top two buttons, corporate Ranger was still in the house. The warmth spreading through my lower half intensified as I looked into his eyes. His eyes that had darkened with desire as I pressed against him. "How about we head up to seven and I help you forget all about Joe Morelli?" Ranger asked in a low voice.

Right now, an evening in Denial Land seemed like a pretty good idea. A smile spread across my face as I contemplated the various ways Ranger had for making me forget even my own name. "You're on, Batman."


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Thank you once again to all the amazing readers and reviews in the JE fan fiction world. I love hearing your thoughts, ideas and speculations.

Apologies in advance for any errors in the Spanish text. I used what little I remember from high school and Google translate for Hector's words. I'll admit to having a huge soft spot for the man.

Anything or anyone recognizable is the property of JE.

Chapter 29

I woke up to the sun shining in and a smile still on my face. What Ranger promises, he delivers. When we got to seven we barely made it through the door before he had me pinned against the wall and was kissing me like he meant it. We left a trail of clothes from the front door to the living room, but never made it past the couch.

We came together in a lust filled frenzy of hands, mouths and bodies. Our moans of pleasure and skin slapping against skin were the only noises we made. Ranger set a frantic pace that I met stroke for stroke. The pressure within me built so quickly, my orgasm was upon me before I knew it and I screamed out as I came. This brought Ranger over the edge and I could feel the strong pulsing of his climax within my still contracting inner walls.

Ranger was careful not to rest his weight on me as we both lay there panting in the aftermath. I couldn't keep the grin from my face as I saw the slightly dazed expression on his face above me. He would probably never admit it, but I suspected it was just as mind blowing for him as it was for me.

He smiled back at my grin and leaned forward to kiss me. Before we could get started on round two, the beast in my stomach made its presence known. Ranger called down to Ella to ask her to send up dinner and while I picked up our clothing trail and stepped into the bedroom to get dressed. Ranger might be comfortable being au natural, but I still had that voice inside my head that said good girls didn't walk around naked. That voice sounded a lot like my mother.

Ranger had slipped on a pair of sweatpants and a black ribbed tank top that clung to his chest like a second skin and sent my hormones into overdrive. I was contemplating whether or not I could rip it off him using only my teeth when Ella arrived with dinner. After we ate and cleaned up, we made our way to the bedroom to resume our earlier activities.

Remembering the slow, sensual way Ranger made love to me the second time caused a warm flush throughout my body. With a sigh, I threw off the covers and made my way to the master bath to take care of business. Hector had an appointment that would last most of the day but was free later in the afternoon. I wanted to stop in and check on Rex before I went to the bonds office so I decided to just wait until I got home to shower. I sent Ranger a text to let him know I was leaving and he asked me to stop by his office on my way out.

I rode down to five and waved to the guys on monitors as I made my way to Ranger's office. The door was open so I rapped once on the frame as I walked in.

"Morning, Babe," he said, standing as I entered.

The smile I woke up with was suddenly back. "Morning, Ranger."

His eyes darkened and the corners of his mouth tipped up ever so slightly. "I wanted to offer you and Lula a wire and a new panic button to take with you today. The wire will allow Rangeman to record everything that is said and can be used as evidence later if needed. The panic button is self-explanatory, but also contains a GPS tracking system, just in case."

So here's the thing. Not too long ago, Ranger would have been telling me to wear the wire and carry the panic button because he knew I was getting in over my head. And, because I was so hell bent on proving that I didn't need help even though the reality of it was I desperately needed help, I would have refused both and gone off on my own. This most likely would have ended with Ranger scrambling men together to save my ass yet again and causing him to bleed more money on my behalf. I can't believe how lucky I was that he put up with my selfish, immature ways long enough for me to come to my senses.

"Thank you, I appreciate that," I said as I walked around his desk. I took his face in my hands and brought my mouth to his. I tried to express all my appreciation for him in that one kiss. When the kiss ended, I pulled back slightly but continued to cradle his face in my hands. I looked deeply into his eyes and said softly, "And I appreciate you." With a last quick kiss, I grabbed the small box of equipment from his desk. "I'm going home to shower and check on Rex before heading to the bonds office. Lula and I are meeting Hector at 4:00. Connie has a couple of skips for me so that will most likely keep me busy for the day."

Ranger gave me a little nod to acknowledge what I had said. "Ram had a family emergency so I'm covering the late shift for him. I won't be far from Stark if you run into problems."

"Good to know, but I don't expect any trouble with Hector there." With one more delicious kiss I was on my way with my Rangeman care package and that smile still on my face. The traffic gods must have been smiling as well because I was pulling up in front of my townhouse in record time. I wasn't going to be long so I didn't bother parking in the garage. To be honest, I didn't want my current POS sullying my new garage floor with its rust cooties and junk car juju. At some point I was going to get a newer car, and I didn't want to jinx it.

Walking into my kitchen, I tapped on the glass and said good morning to Rex before dropping a couple of grapes into his dish. The bedding rustled and I saw a pink nose and whiskers peeking out of his soup can. I refilled his water and told him to be a good boy before I went off to take my shower.

An hour later I was clean, clothed and coiffed, well pony-tailed, and on my way to the bonds office. Since I wouldn't have time to get in a workout today, I decided to continue past the Tasty Pastry. I would never give up donuts completely, but I had to admit I liked the way my body looked now that I had been working out. No sense in making it any harder to maintain.

Lula was pacing on the sidewalk in front of the office having a heated conversation with someone on her cell phone. I snuck in behind her and entered the office just as she let loose with a string of expletives that would make any longshoreman proud. Connie was trying to not laugh.

"What's up with Lula?" I asked, glancing back over my shoulder. Lula looked like a crazy woman, strutting back and forth waving her free hand and yelling into the phone. Her pacing and agitated gyrations had caused her tiger striped mini skirt to inch up her legs, allowing all passersby to see the hot pink thong she was wearing underneath.

"Someone stole her tires and egged her car last night. The garage sent a flatbed to pick it up and it will be fixed and cleaned up by later today, but she is trying to convince someone at the Trenton PD to assign a protection detail to her car until the vandals have been caught." Connie kept the laughter pretty well contained throughout her explanation but lost it when I started laughing at the protection detail request.

We both pulled ourselves together as Lula came charging through the door. "Can you believe they refused my request for round the clock protection? What the hell is this world coming to? I even reminded them that, as a tax paying citizen, they worked for me but that didn't get me nowhere," she huffed.

"Their budget is paid through property taxes," I said. "You rent, you don't pay property taxes."

"Your ass," she replied. "Well, I've been thinking about someday buying a place. That should qualify me for something."

Recognizing the futility in taking this conversation any further, I turned to Connie. "What have you got for me today?"

"Just two," she said. "Scooter Hanson and Deshawn Watson. I think you went to school with Scooter. He was caught shopping after hours at the audio/video place over by the mall. He went in just before closing and hid inside an entertainment cabinet displaying a 54" big screen TV. Once the place was locked down, he grabbed a couple of carts and started filling them with merchandise. Guess he didn't notice the 'Protected by Rangeman' sticker in the front window when he went inside. Ranger's control room recorded the whole thing and Scooter was arrested as he went out the back door." I checked and there were no priors listed. Scooter lived in an apartment not far from my old one. Hopefully I could catch him at home today.

I opened the second file and the picture of an elderly gentleman with the kindest eyes I had ever seen stared back at me. I glanced down through the information sheet and saw he had been arrested for disturbing the peace and indecent exposure. I flipped through the arresting officer's report and read that Mr. Watson was arrested when he staged a one man protest against police corruption. He stated he was protesting the 'blue wall of silence' by exposing himself to expose their code of silence. I had to say, I admired this man's grit.

I tucked the files in my messenger bag and told Lula I'd pick her up at 3:30 to go meet Hector. When I got to my car, I made a quick call to Rangeman's control room to let them know I was going after a couple of skips. Despite my training, Ranger still worried about my safety when working alone. Given my history, I admitted he had a valid concern. After much discussion, we had decided that I would contact Rangeman if I were going after a skip by myself and they would actively monitor my trackers. I didn't think I would need it just yet, but I took the new panic button out of the box and slipped it into the front pocket of my jeans.

I drove to Scooter Hanson's house first. The file listed a silver Honda Accord that was used to secure his bond. There was a silver Honda parked across the street. I checked the plate and it was the same as the one listed in the bond agreement. I used my cell to call his home phone.

"'Lo," a man's voice answered.

"Hi, is Scooter there?" I asked cheerfully

"This is. Who's this?" Scooter was definitely new to the world of bond recovery. One, you never answer your phone when you're FTA and two, if you do, don't let them know it's you.

"This is Tiffany from Global Timeshare. I'd like to…" That's as far as I got before he hung up on me.

I got out of my car and strapped on my utility belt. After a quick check to make sure I was fully 'dressed', I made my way down the sidewalk to his building. Scooter lived on the second floor of what used to be a single family home. The open stairway ran up the side of the building to a small landing in front of the door. There was a small peephole in the door, so I plastered a big smile on my face as I knocked.

When the door opened, I had to bite the inside of my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Every inch of visible skin had been scribbled on with what looked like permanent markers. The array of color was magnificent and he looked like a walking Jackson Pollock painting.

"Yeah, go ahead and laugh, toots. Glad I can make your day," he growled.

"Sorry, just caught me unexpectedly. I represent your bonding agent. You missed your court date and I'm here to help you reschedule," I explained, trying my hardest to stop laughing.

"I couldn't go to court lookin' like this. Yeah, have them reschedule me for like a year from now so this shit has time to wear off." As he was talking, I was moving myself closer so I could grab him if he tried to bolt.

"Doesn't work like that. I need to take you down to the station to reschedule." As I was saying this, I reached out and slapped a cuff on the closest wrist, twisted his arm up behind him and grabbed the other wrist. I had the second bracelet secured before he started to put up any kind of fight.

"How did you get covered in permanent marker?" I asked as I grabbed his keys from the hook beside the door.

"I was babysitting my sister's asshole kids. I fell asleep and woke up looking like this. I can't go to jail looking like a three year olds art project. I'll get my assed kicked," he whined.

"You should be able to get bonded out pretty quickly. You may have to sit in a holding cell for a short time, but no one is going to kick your ass." I hope, I added silently to myself.

Thankfully, Scooter came quietly as I led him down the stairs to my waiting car. I dropped him off, got my body receipt and told him not to babysit before his next court date. It was lunchtime, so I decided to swing by my parent's house for lunch. I got there just as the deli meat was being pulled from the fridge. Mom and Grandma caught me up on all the 'Burg gossip as we ate our ham and Swiss on rye. I told them about Scooter and the permanent markers.

An hour had passed without me realizing it, so I said goodbye and promised to have them over to my new house once I got a bit more settled. I drove to the address in DeShawn Watson's file and found myself in front of a small single family home that was worn but cared for. There was an old pick-up truck parked in the driveway, so I pulled in behind it to prevent an escape.

The man who answered the door instantly reminded me of Morgan Freeman. He had the same tall, lanky build, kind eyes and short cropped gray hair which contrasted nicely against his dark skin. "Mr. Watson, my name is Stephanie Plum and I represent your bail bondsman. You missed your court date and I'm here to take you down to get rescheduled."

When I told him he had missed his court date I saw surprise on his face. "Ms Plum, I apologize for the inconvenience. This was not my intention. In fact, I was looking forward to presenting myself before the judge to make my case for justice. If you'll be so kind as to wait one moment while I turn the tea kettle off, I will be right with you."

I'd heard that one before, so I planted my boot beside the door so it couldn't be slammed in my face. From where I stood, I could see through to the back door in the kitchen and was mentally preparing myself to chase after him if he bolted out the back. It was my turn to look surprised when he returned with a light jacket over one arm and announced that he was ready to go. He locked up his house and was settling into the passenger seat of my car when my cell phone rang.

I glanced at the display and saw it was Grandma Mazur. "Hi, Steph. Can you pick me up at the Clip 'N Curl? Your mom's car is in the shop and your dad is taking a fare to Newark."

"Sorry Grandma. I'm getting ready to take someone down to the station to be rebonded. I can pick you up after, but it may be a while." As I was speaking I felt a tap on the arm. "Hang on Grandma."

"Child, you can't leave your grandmother stranded. I don't mind taking the scenic route to the police station." I felt like I was being gently chastised for even considering asking my grandmother to wait. I smiled my thanks and told Grandma we would be there soon.

We pulled up to the hairdresser and Grandma was waiting on the sidewalk for us. She hopped in the back and leaned forward, extending her hand into the front seat. "Howdy, I'm Edna. What's your name, handsome?" I groaned. Leave it to Grandma to hit on my skip.

DeShawn took her hand and placed a gentlemanly kiss on the back. Grandma giggled and by the time we got back to my parent's house they had plans to go out to dinner the next evening. I called Connie and asked her to meet us at the station. Given that he was arrested for protesting against the police I felt the less time he spent at the station, the better.

I got my second body receipt as Connie was walking in. I told her I would leave the receipts on her desk and pick up my check later. A quick look at my watch told me I had just enough time to pick Lula up at the office before we had to meet Hector.

Lula's car with four new tires and no egg slime was parked in front of the bonds office when I pulled up. Lula was standing on the sidewalk admiring the wax job. She met me at the front of my car as I placed the small box on the hood. Pulling the wires and the second panic button from the box, I explained to Lula how everything worked. I called Rangeman and we did a sound check on the wires and made sure the GPS tracker on both of our panic buttons was operating. Lula kept talking to her boob during the sound check and I was starting to question whether having her wear a wire was really a good idea.

"Do you want to take your car or mine?" I asked Lula.

"My baby has been traumatized enough for one day. I'm not taking her down to Stark Street without that police protection I can't seem to get," she grumped.

Chances were good even my POS wouldn't come out unscathed, but I didn't really care. We drove to the safer end of Stark Street and found parking near a street light that hadn't been busted yet. I locked the doors and Lula and I saw Hector standing in the doorway of a Puerto Rican grocery store. It was still early enough for the streets to be relatively safe in this area where the murders had taken place. The plan was for us to try to talk to some of the 'hos first to see if they knew anything. Hector would hang in the background like a guardian angel. My Glock was in a holster at the small of my back, but I hoped I wouldn't need it.

Lula knew a lot of the women working the corners and after the customary insults were exchanged, we told them why we were there. There was a lot of speculation and a few outright accusations, but no one had anything useful. People on Stark Street learn quickly to mind their own business.

We were walking past the alley where Shonda Williams was killed when a young girl called out quietly from the shadows. The girl looked to be about 13 or 14 years old. She was dirty, like she had been sleeping on the streets but she didn't look like she was selling herself yet. Lula and I walked towards her and she moved back out of sight from the street.

"Are you payin' for information?" she asked.

"That depends on what you've got. Tell me your name and what you know and I'll tell you what it's worth to me," I replied.

"Name's Aliyah. I've been sleeping in this alley for a couple weeks now. Ever since my mom kicked me out of our apartment 'cuz her boyfriend started paying me more attention than her. So I've been like urban camping back here, you know? I was here the night that 'ho got killed. What's that worth to you?" This kid was tough and I liked her. I handed her a twenty and told her to continue.

"She came down the alley with a dude. He was all swagger and strut. I've seen him a couple of times and heard someone say he was the po-po, but that he'd let you walk for a blow job. He just looks like an asshole to me." I couldn't help but agree with her.

"Anyway, while they was talkin' I noticed someone else come into the alley. My campsite is tucked up under a set of stairs where no one can see me, but I can see almost everythin'. The weird part was, this dude was dressed up like a homeless dude, but didn't move like one, you know what I mean?" I shook my head. I didn't know how a homeless person moves. "Homeless folks are beaten down, defeated. You can tell they've given up. This dude moved like you do. Like you know your shit and you're not taking anyone else's."

"Anyway, the homeless dude kind of hunkered down by the trash cans. I don't think they ever saw him. I guess they were done talking cuz next thing ya know, she was down on her knees suckin' his dick. She's either real good or he's a minuteman, cuz it was over almost as soon as she started. He zipped up and split before she could even finish swallowin'. As soon as he left, the homeless dude got up and came over. The 'ho was like 'What the fuck, do you want a freebie, too?' The next thing I know, the homeless dude had his hands around her throat and was choking the shit out of her. I almost pissed my pants I was so scared. I was afraid if he saw me I was next, so I didn't move."

"Did you ever see his face?" I asked, praying the wire was working and Rangeman was hearing this.

"No, I didn't see a face but the 'ho knocked his hat off and I saw a lot of blonde hair. I think the dude might have been a chick," the girl said.

I handed the girl four more twenty dollar bills. Lula, who had been uncharacteristically quiet during the girl's story, said, "There's a place a couple a blocks down on Stark called A Way Out. They help folks with what they need to get off the streets. You remind me of someone I knew who didn't have no one to help her, and she ended up travelin' a rough road before she finally found a way out. Go see 'em."

I wasn't sure if the girl would listen or not but I was glad Lula had told her about the place. We headed back toward the mouth of the alley as Aliyah melted into the shadows of her temporary home. Two hard-eyed punks sporting gang colors were suddenly standing between us and the street. Their white tank tops were pristine above their oversized homeboy jeans that somehow managed to just hang on to their lean hips.

"Looks like it's our lucky day, Raul. You want the fat pussy or the skinny pussy?" the banger on the left asked his friend as he reached down to adjust himself. Lula went off on cue, distracting both men and allowing me to draw my weapon from the holster tucked into the small of my back. Before I could say a word, Hector was there and had the mouthy gang banger pinned against the alley wall, a forearm across the banger's throat and the point of a wicked looking knife pressing into the flesh just below his eye. I kept my gun trained on the other one.

"¿Sabes quién es, pendejo? Esta es la mujer de Manoso. Y yo soy el hombre que te destruirá si la vuelves a faltar al respeto." (Do you know who this is, asshole? This is Manoso's woman. And I am the man who will destroy you if you disrespect her again.) Hector's voice was quiet and calm, but the tip of the knife was moving slowly down the man's face, leaving a very thin trail of blood in its wake.

I didn't know what Hector had said, but I did understand Manoso and saw the effect Ranger's name had one these guys. "Lo siento. No pretendíamos faltarle el respeto." (Sorry. We meant no disrespect.) This came from the one I was holding the gun on. I don't think the other one could speak with a forearm across his windpipe.

Hector moved the knife to the front of the guy's pants and whispered something in his ear. The banger paled and wetness spread across the front of his pants. This brought a malicious smile to Hector's face.

Hector questioned both men but neither knew anything about the murders. Finally, it was obvious these two were a waste of our time and Hector told them to scurry away like the "cucarachas" they were. As Hector walked us back to my car he whispered to me in heavily accented English, "Good to see I still got it."

I grinned and asked him what he had whispered to the guy. "I tell him if he lie to you, I cut off his dick and he will die choking on it."

Lula barked out a laugh, but I didn't think Hector was joking. We left Hector on Stark Street and drove back to the bonds office so I could drop Lula off at her car. I had forgotten to leave the body receipts for Connie earlier, so I took a few minutes to run into the office and tuck the receipts under the stapler on her desk. With the alarm reset and the office locked back up, I walked to my car and reached to open my driver's side door. I never heard the person come up behind me, but I felt the jolt electricity half a second before I blacked out.

cucarachas = cockroaches


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: Everything I know of the illegal drugs used in this story comes from internet research. I have tried to accurately depict their affects based on what I have read but, thankfully, have no first hand knowledge.

I love hearing what you think, and your reviews and PM's are greatly appreciated. As always, anyone you recognize belongs to JE.

Chapter 30

When I came to I did a quick assessment of my situation before I opened my eyes. I could feel that I was still dressed and was relieved to note that I hadn't soiled myself when I was stunned. I wasn't blindfolded or gagged, but my hands were handcuffed behind my back. I was laying on what felt like the floor in the backseat of a moving car. The car smelled faintly of grease and sugar and I suspected I was being transported in my own POS. If so, that meant the control room at Rangeman would be tracking both my panic button and my car.

The car stopped and I opened my eyes to see where we were. I had been right about being in my own car but I couldn't see who was driving. There wasn't enough light from the streetlamps to see much, but I saw blonde hair as someone reached over the back of the front seat. A woman's voice said "Nighty night" right before another jolt went through me.

Coming to for a second time, I was more pissed than concerned. The car was moving again and I could hear a man and a woman talking. As the ringing in my ears started to fade, I was shocked to recognize Joe's voice. He was slurring and sounded vague, but it was definitely Joe. The woman's voice sounded familiar so I closed my eyes, trying to concentrate on nothing but her voice. Then it came to me. That voice sounded a lot like Terry Gilman.

The car slowed and turned. From my position on the back floor, I could see buildings were close on both sides and I guessed we were in an alley. The car stopped and they both got out of the car. I heard Terry say something and then the door at my feet opened and Joe pulled me out. I grunted as my back scraped across the carpeting. I struggled to raise up enough to keep my shirt from lifting up and possibly exposing the wire I was still wearing.

I was unceremoniously dumped on the ground beside the car. It was awkward standing up with my hands behind my back, but I needed to get off the ground so I would be better able to defend myself. I looked from Joe to the woman who walked around the car and was surprised to see Tammy Grizolli. The surprise must have shown on my face and Tammy grinned. The lighting was poor, but it was enough to see the evil in her smile.

"Stephanie Plum. How lovely to see you again," she said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"What's going on, Tammy? Joe?" I knew Ranger would want to come swooping in to save me, but I was relying on him to trust me enough to let me try to get to the bottom of the murders. Joe was just standing there, being strangely quiet. He looked a bit confused and was weaving slightly.

Tammy chuckled. "What's going on, 'Cupcake', is I'm getting rid of the whore who has fucked up my sister's chance for happiness while destroying the asshole who doesn't deserve her love in the first place."

"I haven't done anything to Terry or you, Tammy. Neither of you has any reason to hate me." I was baiting her, hoping I would be able to get some answers out of her before the cavalry arrived. I felt safe in egging her on since I knew Rangerman had my back. By now, there were probably snipers on every rooftop with Tammy and Joe in their cross hairs. I imagined each and every shadow the length of the alley contained a Rangeman in black, like a modern day ninja ready to strike on command.

"Terry has been waiting for Joe to get over you for years. Every time you two would break up, she'd get her hopes up only to have them crushed when you got back together. Joe was always happy to hook up with her when you were split up, but he only wanted a fuck buddy. When you got together with Manoso, she figured it was finally her shot." Tammy glanced over at Joe with a look of disgust. "Unfortunately for my sister, Joe has trouble keeping his zipper shut. Terry found a picture on his phone of him naked with that socialite that died. I started following him and realized he was not only a man whore, but he was developing quite a little drug habit. Terry deserves so much more."

Joe was standing there beside Tammy this whole time, but it was like he wasn't even there. "Did you drug Joe tonight?" I asked her.

"Roofies. I find the memory loss properties to be quite useful," Tammy replied.

"Is that what you used on him when you killed those three women on Stark Street?" I guessed.

"Brilliant, isn't it? He actually did it to himself the first time. He was jonesin' so bad he snorted the coke the whore sold him standing right there in the alley. Once he had his fix, he told her to service him or he'd have her picked up for possession. By the time she was done sucking him off, I could see he was messed up. I came out of my hiding spot and confronted her, asking her what she had given him. This bitch had her own scam going and couldn't wait to flex on it. She cut roofies in with the coke she was selling. Then, she'd offer the john a sample. When the drugs kicked in, she'd take the mark to the nearest ATM and have him make a cash withdrawal. The guy wakes up not remembering a thing. He's not going to report a large cash withdrawal he made down on Stark Street while he was with a hooker. She had a pretty sweet racket going." Tammy laughed. "Well, she did until I grabbed her throat and started squeezing. I had never killed anyone before. At first, I was scared that I wouldn't be able to finish it, but she was skinny and weak and I just kept squeezing and squeezing until she stopped moving."

"But why kill her?" I asked again.

"While she was telling me about setting up her marks, I realized I could do the same thing to Joe. I had a dead hooker and Joe with no memory of what he had done. It was perfect. Except that no one cared about one dead hooker so there had to be more. Every night I would follow him as he went down to Stark. He was mostly looking for drugs, but he also took advantage of a blow job whenever he could get one."

I glanced over at Joe who was now sitting on the ground with his back against a dumpster. Tammy continued. "At first, I couldn't figure out how to slip him the drugs, but then his man whore ways gave me my opportunity. There was a blonde he liked to flirt with at the coffee place on State. Once in a while, he'd stop and pick up a fancy iced coffee on his way to Stark. Once he parked and went to make his score, I jimmied the lock and added the drugs to his drink. Then I waited at the end of the alley pretending to be a homeless person until he was done doing his thing. After killing the first one, the strangling part got easy."

"So you weren't on a date with him when I saw you at Pino's?" It really didn't matter but my curiosity got the best of me.

Tammy snorted. "No, I had gone to him at the request of my Uncle Vito. Joe and Uncle Vito have collaborated in the past but Terry had always been the go between. She refused, so Vito sent me. The pig had the nerve to start hitting on me until he saw you standing at the counter."

The evil smile returned to Tammy's face. "Enough with the chit chat. It's your turn, 'Cupcake'. You'll be dead and Joe will have no memory of what happened. Just like the hookers, except this time, I'm going to leave him here with you. Your car was seen at his house tonight and he was seen leaving in it. When the police determine your time of death, Joe will have no alibi. Once he's tied to the other murders, he'll be sent away forever and Terry can finally move on."

As Tammy took a step towards me, I lowered my shoulder and rammed into her as hard as I could, driving her backwards into the brick wall behind her. I took a step back and kicked out hard, connecting with the side of her knee. The injured leg gave out from under her and she fell with a scream of pain, clutching at her leg. I spared a quick glance at Joe, but he appeared to be passed out in his spot against the dumpster.

"Send in the cavalry," I said out loud. I half expected Ranger to descend down from the rooftops like Batman, and it was a little disappointing when he emerged from the shadows like everyone else. A patrol car pulled into the alley and Eddie Gazarra and Robin Russell got out.

Ranger moved behind me to release the cuffs. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Did you get it all?" I asked, rubbing my wrists where the bracelets had chaffed. I glanced over to see a handcuffed Tammy limping heavily as she was escorted to a waiting cruiser.

Ranger nodded, "The whole thing. Proud of you, Babe." Then he pulled me into a tight hug. The EMT's arrived and were getting Joe strapped to a gurney. I declined medical attention and Ranger offered to take me home. One of the guys would drop my car off after the cops finished processing it.

On the way home Ranger told me what happened. Turns out the control room got suspicious when the tracker on my car showed me heading to Morelli's. Given our history and what happened the last time I had gone to Joe's house, the control room thought it best to inform Ranger. Lester told me later the guys played rock, paper, scissors and the loser had to call Ranger to let him know my car was at Joe's.

I was a little disappointed to find out there had been no snipers, but Ranger, Vince and Hector had been in the alley covering me from almost the moment I had been pulled from the car. Vince had been doing surveillance with Ranger, and Hector was still in the area trying to find out more on the mysterious blonde. Ranger coordinated with Trenton PD to have a patrol car and EMTs standing by, just in case. The control room had patched my wire through to Ranger's comm unit and he had been listening the whole time.

Ranger offered to stop at Pino's on the way home and we picked up some comfort food for dinner. I was surprised to find I had an appetite and made short work of my meatball sub. After dinner and a quick shower, Ranger then spent the rest of the evening reassuring himself that I was okay and making me extremely happy to be alive.


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: We're almost to the end and I am so appreciative of all the support I've received from you all through reviews, PM's, follows and favorites. There will be an epilogue, so please let me know if I've left any burning questions in your brains.

Anything recognizable belongs to JE.

Chapter 31

I woke the next morning to my cell phone ringing beside my bed. A quick glance at the caller ID told me it was my mother. I wondered why she was calling so early until I looked at the time and saw it was almost 9:30. I vaguely remember Ranger waking me up and kissing me goodbye at 5:00 a.m. when he left, but I think I had already fallen back to sleep by the time he was walking out the front door.

I cleared my throat hoping she would realize I was still in bed. "Hi, Mom."

"Did I wake you?" she asked.

"Um, no. Just a frog in my throat," I lied.

"I just got back from running errands and I heard about Joseph. Everyone is talking about how he is some kind of sex addict and a drug addict, and that he was somehow involved in the murder of those poor women down on Stark Street. He's been suspended from the police force and the rumor is he has been charged with criminal activity. They say Angie Morelli was at the police station trying to post bail for him this morning, but no one in Trenton would write his bond."

My mother continued to recap basically everything I already knew, with a lot of exaggeration and speculation thrown in by the rumor mill. I really didn't have to contribute more than a few "mmm's" and "hmm's" to the conversation until she finally started to run out of steam.

I could tell she was finishing up as she said, "Anyway, I wanted to tell you how glad I am you finally came to your senses about what kind of man Joseph Morelli really is. Why don't you and your Ranger come over on Friday for dinner. I'm making baked chicken breast, cauliflower mashed potatoes and a roasted vegetable medley."

"What? What happened to pot roast?" I was flabbergasted. My mother had prepared pot roast every Friday outside of Lent for my entire life.

"Your father finally had to go to the doctors for a check-up or the insurance company was going to double the cost of his insurance. Turns out he has high cholesterol and high blood pressure, so the doctor put him on medication and told him to change his diet. I called Ranger because I knew he was careful about his diet. He put me in touch with Ella and she helped me find some healthier alternatives that I could make for dinner. She also suggested a few changes to some of your father's favorite dishes to make them healthier. I really enjoyed talking with her. She's such a lovely lady."

I pinched myself to make sure this wasn't some kind of bizarre, really realistic dream. Nope, I'm awake. "That's great, Mom. And yes, Ella is amazing and takes very good care of Ranger and the guys, and me now I suppose. I'm glad you're taking such good care of Daddy."

I told my mom I would let her know about Friday and we said our goodbyes. I pinched myself a second time just to be sure I truly was awake. Not only did my mother just tell me she was happy Joe and I were through, but she accepted my relationship with Ranger, even going so far as contacting him and then taking cooking tips from Ella. My world had become a very strange place.

I took a quick shower and called Connie to make sure she found the body receipts and to let her know I'd wouldn't be by this morning. Something had been brewing in my brain ever since Lula had mentioned the efforts her friend had been making to leave life on the streets. Then yesterday, she had told Aliyah about that place on Stark that helped people and that had given me an idea.

A Way Out was located in an area of Stark that was relatively safe during the day. I found a parking spot on the same block so I was cautiously optimistic that my car would still be there when I returned. The plate glass window had flyers advertising various hotline numbers. I took a quick glance and I saw help offered for victims of domestic violence, rape, human trafficking as well as a number for a suicide prevention hotline. A bell sounded as I opened the door and I entered into a small, bare bones reception area. The walls were painted a cheerful yellow but the only decor consisted of more posters displaying hotline information and a sign indicating someone would be with me shortly. A card table against the back wall held a display rack full of brochures advertising more help services.

A door to the side opened and a woman stepped into the reception area. She smiled a gentle smile, introduced herself as Mykala and asked if she could help me. I introduced myself to her and explained that I was actually hoping I could help her. The money I had earned capturing Marcel Chagall had been instrumental in allowing me to make changes in my life, and now I was hoping to help make a change in someone else's life.

"Do you have a few moments to come back to my office, Ms Plum?" She asked when I told her I wanted to make a donation.

"Please, call me Stephanie. And yes, of course," I replied.

She swiped a security badge through the reader beside the door and I heard the faint click as it unlocked. "As you can imagine, many of our clients are coming from rather dangerous environments. Security is our number one priority. Please follow me."

The area opened up into a bullpen that was divided up by cubicles, similar to Rangeman. Mykala led me to one of two small offices at the side of the room. The office was cluttered but tidy and the term organized chaos came to mind. She indicated to a small table with two chairs that was tucked into the corner.

"First off, I want to thank you for your offer of a donation. We are a non-profit organization that exists solely on public funding, grants and donations," she began. "We also exist due to the generosity of the people who volunteer here. By almost exclusively using volunteers, we are able to operate on a shoestring budget."

"The fact that you are here donating money demonstrates to me your willingness to help. I was wondering if I might interest you in donating some of your time as well? Your reputation precedes you, Stephanie. I've heard from more than a few of our clients how you take care of people, even as you are picking them up for jumping bail. Your empathy and kind heart are well known by the people we work with," Mykala said.

Her words surprised me. My plan was to stop by, drop off a big check and leave. I had never considered helping in a more hands-on capacity. As I thought about it, I realized how much the idea appealed to me. "I had never thought about it," I replied honestly. "What kinds of things would I be doing?"

"Well, mostly what our volunteers do is work one on one or with small groups of clients. You would do things like helping people earn their GED, or maybe help someone prepare for a job interview. It might just be sitting with someone as they try to find the courage to file a restraining order. Our job is to give people the tools they need to build a life with. How they use those tools and what sort of life they build is their decision."

I thought this sounded a lot like what Ranger and the guys and Rangeman had done for me. They gave me the tools I needed to take charge of my life and become a better bounty hunter, but I was the one responsible for building the new Steph.

"Thank you, Mykala. I do think this is something I would be interested in doing. However I do need to warn you that there is a good chance I will have someone with me if I start coming down here regularly." I knew as soon as I told Ranger and the guys that I was going to be hanging out on Stark Street they would go into protection mode. I figured why fight it when I could get Mykala two volunteers for the price of one. Once I explained the situation, Mykala was more than happy to have members of Rangeman hanging out at the center and interacting with the clients. While a majority of the clientele was made up of women, there were plenty of boys and men who came to the center for help but very few male volunteers.

We decided I would start out two days a week, with the opportunity to add a third day if my schedule allowed. I was excited for the opportunity and couldn't wait to get started. As I was standing up to leave, I remembered why I had come here in the first place. Mykala was momentarily stunned when she saw the check for ten thousand dollars. She pulled me in for a bone crushing hug, thanking me profusely. I explained that the money had been earned helping to bring to justice a human trafficker. I felt it was only right that the money go to help victims of people like him.

I was pleasantly surprised to see my car with all four tires still sitting where I'd left it. A quick check of my watch showed I would have time to get in a workout before my shift at Rangeman. Ranger had told me he would be out most of the day meeting with clients so I'd have to wait until this evening to speak with him about my new venture.

When I finished with my workout, it was encouraging to see I was almost back to my preinjury exercise levels. After a quick shower up on seven and dressed as mini-Ranger, I settled into my cube with a roasted chicken on whole wheat, a bottle of water and a pile of basic employment checks for one of Rangeman's larger clients. The work was mindless so I thought about Mykala and the work she was doing as I clicked through the searches. I had a feeling I was about to get a whole different perspective on the world. Life in the 'Burg was far removed from Stark Street. Even though I had seen my share of the seedier side of Trenton, I couldn't imagine what it would be like to exist in that world permanently.

I screeched and came three inches out of my chair when Lester tapped me on the shoulder. This got me a smirk and a 'you need to be more aware of your surroundings' look.

"Shut up, Les. I'm in a secure building full of armed, ex-military men. If I want to be lost in thought, there's no better place to do it than here." I hated being caught gathering wool.

"You up for a surveillance shift this afternoon? Ram is still out of town so I asked Tank if I could have my trusty sidekick for the rest of the afternoon," Lester said with a grin.

I glanced at the pile of background checks and was surprised to discover I was already three quarters of the way finished. "Sure, as long as the rest of these can wait until tomorrow. Let me check with Tank."

Tank okayed the delay in finishing the employment checks so Lester and I made a quick stop in the break room to grab some bottles of water and granola bars. The days of Tastykakes and candy bars on a surveillance shift were behind me. I found I didn't get nearly as fidgety without all the processed sugar in my system.

As we sat watching Morgan Stanfield's apartment building I told Les about my interview with Mykala and explained what they did at A Way Out. Les agreed that it was a good idea to have someone with me when I started going down to Stark Street regularly.

I sighed, "I really want to do this, but I hate having Ranger bleed money for me again. I was hoping I put that behind me when I got trained."

"Ranger doesn't put a price on your safety, Steph. Besides, this doesn't have to cost Rangeman a thing if we volunteer with you on our own time. It sounds like a good concept and I'd be happy to help. I think a lot of the other guys will, too. Rangeman actually requires all full-time employees to do 200 hours of community service each year as part of our employment contracts. It helps us to be around people who are doing good because our job requires us to deal with shitty people most of the time."

Our shift was quiet and I was ready to go home when Vince and Binkie showed up to take over. I asked Les to drop me off at my townhouse on his way back to Rangeman. Ranger had texted earlier wanting to know if I wanted to have dinner when my shift was over so I knew he would have everything waiting for me once I got home. Soon after I had moved in, I had given Ranger a key and the access code to my alarm. We both knew he didn't need either, but I appreciated the respect he showed me by using both rather than just letting himself in.

Over a delicious and healthy Ella prepared meal, I told Ranger about my day and about my conversation with Lester. Ranger listened as I explained everything and then asked if it would be okay if he sent Hector over to discuss additional security measures for the center. I didn't know what kind of security budget Mykala had, but I suspected the upgrades wouldn't cost her a dime.

The next day, an all employee email went out offering a volunteer opportunity for all Rangeman employees. Anyone interested was asked to contact me to coordinate the schedule. The response was overwhelming and I found most days I was able to take multiple volunteers with me.

Mykala was thrilled with both the volunteers and with the free upgrade to security, courtesy of Rangeman Security. After the first couple of weeks, I also noticed Bobby's name appearing on the volunteer roster more than any other Rangeman. Somehow, I didn't think this was pure altruism on his part. Not only was Mykala a beautiful woman, she was also the most kindhearted, empathetic person I had ever met. The way her face lit up when Bobby walked in made me suspect the attraction was mutual.

Unable to sleep one night, I reflected back on the last few months. It had been a time of not only one of personal growth, but a time of revelation. A time when I not only found the adult Stephanie buried under the immature, irresponsible person I had been, but also a time in which I removed my blinders and rose-tinted glasses and was finally able to see both Ranger and Joe for the men they were. While he wasn't Rambo, Batman or James Bond, Ranger truly deserved the title of superhero in my books. I would never know even a fraction of what he went through while under contract, but I knew everything he did was to protect others. And he did so at God knows what cost to himself. Joe, on the other hand, revealed himself to be a selfish narcissist who looked only after his own interests. How I didn't realize that sooner, I'll never know. I tried not to berate myself too badly for going back to him so many times. Instead, I chose to focus on my future - a future that included loving and being loved by my very own Batman.


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: Many thanks to all who read, reviewed, followed and favorited this story. You are the reason I write.

And so, we come to the end. Hope you all enjoyed the journey as much as I did.

Chapter 32

Epilogue

I took one last glance in the full length mirror and was satisfied with the result. Instead of my girlie T-shirt, jeans and CAT boots, tonight I was in a gown and heels. The evening gown was midnight blue with a plunging v-neck and full skirt. The silver embroidery on the bodice kept the gown from appearing too somber, and I loved the way the skirt swirled around me as I moved. Of course, it wasn't the same designer label I had been wearing a little over a year ago when I walked into the room at the Plaza, but the FMP's were still Manolo's. A woman has to have standards. And, I knew for a fact the diamond and sapphire earrings and matching pendant were the real deal this time. They had been a present from Carlos last Christmas and I grinned as I recalled how I had shown my appreciation for such a beautiful gift.

Once his government contract was done and he transitioned into the civilian world, I saw less and less of Ranger and more and more of Carlos. Don't get me wrong, he was still a complete badass, but removing the strain of being at the beck and call of whatever alphabet agency needed his expertise was like lifting the weight of the world from his shoulders. He was still driven, and I knew he would always be haunted by some of what he had seen and done, but he had slowly let me get to know the man behind the myth and our relationship was better than either of us would have believed possible.

Tonight, we were attending an awards dinner recognizing volunteers in the greater Trenton community. Rangeman had bought two tables to accommodate all of our friends and family who would be attending. Community involvement was still an integral part of the Rangeman's corporate culture and I wouldn't be surprised if some of the Merry Men were recognized for their ongoing work with at risk teens.

Carlos walked into the bedroom and his eyes did a slow burn down my body, from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. I smiled coyly and asked, "See something you like?"

"No, Babe. I see something I love. And when we get home, I'm going to strip you down to nothing by your diamonds and your heels and make you the happiest woman alive." My body flushed at the image and I suddenly wondered if we really needed to attend the dinner. After all, the tables were already bought and paid for.

"Yes, we still need to go," he said, reading my thoughts completely.

I took a moment to appreciate the way the dark gray Armani suit jacket fit perfectly across his broad shoulders. It was my turn to let my eyes drift down and admire how the slightly tapered jacket accentuated his trim waist before cutting off just below his slim hips. The trousers were tailored to caress his muscular thighs then fell straight down to brush the tops of his hand-tooled, Italian leather shoes. I knew the view from the back side would be just as spectacular.

Carlos grinned and took me gently into his arms. "You look beautiful, but if we don't leave now I may change my opinion about really needing to attend." With a quick kiss, he picked up my matching silk wrap and draped it around my shoulders. I grabbed the silver clutch from the bench at the foot of the bed and pronounced myself ready.

The dinner was being held at an event center down on the recently revived riverfront and was only a short drive from the townhouse on Mill Hill. We pulled into the lot and naturally, he found a spot near the front door. Carlos came around to open my door and offered me a hand up and out of his low slung Porsche 911. He kept a protective hand at the small of my back as we walked into the building. Standing at the door to enter the banquet room, I had a feeling of déjà vu. It only lasted a second and disappeared as soon as I saw Lula waving to us. The pre-dinner cocktail hour was in full swing and Carlos went to the bar to order our drinks. He returned with a vodka and tonic for me and what I knew was straight tonic water with a twist of lime for him.

Dinner was announced and we all made our way over to the Rangeman tables. Our tables were side by side near the front of the venue, but off to the side. Leave it to Carlos to request a table where he could have his back against the wall. Dinner consisted of the standard choice of baked chicken with rice pilaf or beef tips with mashed potatoes. Both came with green beans, tossed salad and a roll. Dessert was a little more interesting with a choice of mini cheesecakes topped with berries or a decadent looking chocolate fudge cake square.

After the dessert plates were cleared away, Trenton's longtime mayor Joe Juniak approached the podium to begin the awards portion of the evening. As he began speaking, I took a moment to look around our tables.

Seated at the end of our table were Bobby and Mykala. One afternoon while Bobby and I had been volunteering at A Way Out, a man had entered the reception area and asked to speak with the person in charge. There was no indication that he was angry or intended any harm, so Mykala had gone out through the door to offer her help. The man calmly pulled out a gun and shot her twice before removing the swipe badge from her crumpled form and opening the door to the secure area. Bobby dropped the shooter with a single shot and then rushed to help Mykala while I dialed 911.

The shooter's ex-girlfriend had left him and one of the volunteers at the program had helped her file a restraining order against him. He had come with the intention of killing everyone in the building. Both the shooter and Mykala survived thanks to Bobby's skill as a marksman and as a medic. Sadly, one of the bullets had injured Mykala's spinal column. She was still partially paralyzed from the waist down and currently confined to a wheelchair, but the doctors weren't giving up hope yet. Bobby had been her rock, remaining at Mykala's side during her recovery and her rehabilitation. Somewhere along the line, they fell in love. From where I was sitting, I could see their intertwined hands resting on top of the tablecloth. The brand new diamond on her left hand caught the occasional glint of light.

Hector was seated across from Bobby. Hector had been an amazing addition to the volunteer roster at A Way Out. He had a way of connecting with the young toughs who found their way into the program, encouraging them to use the opportunity to leave the street life behind. His computer skills classes were one of the most sought after programs in the organization and I worried on more than one occasion that we might be creating a little hacker nation in Trenton. As an added bonus, the gang bangers knew better than to mess with someone under Hector's protection so the kids were able to come to him with fear of retribution.

Lula was sitting across from me with Aliyah and Tank. A week after I had started volunteering, Aliyah showed up in the reception area. She had been badly beaten and nearly raped when a couple of gang members found her sleeping in her alley. Knowing she had no good options, she decided to take Lula's advice and check out the program. Thankfully, Mykala was able to find a spot for her in a shelter for homeless teens and Aliyah asked me to pass along her thanks to Lula.

Something about Aliyah woke up Lula's mother bear instincts. Within a month, Lula had sold off all her leftover 'ho collections and found a small two bedroom apartment in a not so dangerous neighborhood. She applied for and, with a little help from Ranger's lawyer, was granted foster care of Aliyah. Somewhere during the process, she and Tank had started talking again and now the three of them made a very unlikely little family unit.

At the next table were Lester, Hal, Cal and Vince. All regularly accompanied me down to Stark Street and I had grown so much closer to all of the Merry Men through our shared volunteer work. Lester had proven to be a natural teacher, working with individuals studying to take their GED or high school equivalency exam.

My parents had surprised me when they accepted the invitation to the event. My mom looked incredible in the red brocade gown and my father was having a hard time keeping his eyes off of her. After making the initial dietary changes recommended by my father's doctor, my mother reached back out to Ella for more nutritional advice. Their discussion turned to exercise but my mother knew there was no way my father would ever join a gym. One thing led to another and Ella invited my parents to join her and Luis for a swing dance class. After a lot of grumbling and mumbling by my father, my mother finally convinced him to try it and they both had the time of their life. Both were now trim and fit and by the looks of things, enjoying a bit of a second honeymoon.

Rounding out the second Rangeman table were Grandma and her husband, DeShawn Watson. After their third date, they declared themselves to be in love and eloped to Las Vegas. While in Vegas, Grandma hit the jackpot on a slot machine at the Bellagio and came home with quite the nest egg. She and DeShawn still live in his tidy little house and spend their time fighting social injustice wherever they find it. It took some time to convince them to do so with their clothes on, but thankfully neither has been arrested for public indecency for a while now. And if they do start protesting nude again I'll make sure to get them to their court date so I never have to pick either one up FTA again.

Thinking of arrests, my mind went to Joe and Tammy. Tammy had been locked up in a psychiatric hospital where she would remain until she was deemed fit to stand trial for the murder of the three women. Joe's attorney managed to get him off on all charges. I suspect Joe was protected by his fellow police officers and in the end, the jury said there was not enough evidence for a conviction. That didn't stop the 'Burg from sentencing him to life, a life of whispers and dirty looks, without the possibility of parole. The police union successfully argued that the city should cover the cost of a rehabilitation program since the drug use stemmed from his undercover work, but Joe refused to enter the program. He would not admit he was an addict. Last I heard, he couldn't even get a job as a mall cop down in Philly.

Turning my attention back to the podium, I heard Joe Juniak finally wrapping up his opening remarks. This meant the awards presentation was about to begin. I was thrilled to see Lester and Hector both receive individual awards for the number of hours they spent doing volunteer work. Bobby received special recognition for taking down the gunman and saving Mykala's life and the lives of everyone at the center that day. I was especially proud when Rangeman received an award for its commitment to the community.

After Mayor Juniak presented the certificate for Rangeman to Carlos, it was finally time to present the award for Volunteer of the Year. Not only did the recipient receive an acknowledgement of their volunteer work, but the city also made a $1000 donation to a non-profit organization of the winner's choosing.

"Our last award is the Trenton Volunteer of the Year award. This year's winner has demonstrated a commitment to the under served citizens of our community and has worked tirelessly to empower these people and give them the tools they need to better their lives and our community. For her efforts, it is both my honor and privilege to present this year's Volunteer of the Year award to Stephanie Plum Manoso."

My husband was the first on his feet, clapping loudly and looking at me with both love and pride. The rest of the room quickly rose to their feet, joining Carlos in a standing ovation. I felt the blush creep up my cheeks as I walked to the podium to accept the award from Mayor Juniak. I thanked both the mayor and the city and proudly named A Way Out as the benefactor of the $1000 donation.

After accepting everyone congratulations and saying our goodbyes, we headed for home. It had been a good evening and it was about to get better. As we entered our bedroom Carlos came up behind me and slowly unzipped my dress. His hands came up to push the material down over my arms and his lips skimmed my shoulder. Soon the dress was nothing but a puddle of midnight silk at my feet. Warm hands trailed down my back, stopping to hook the midnight blue thong before continuing down my legs, until I was wearing nothing but my jewelry and my strappy silver heels. And then he made good on his earlier promise to make me the happiest woman alive.


End file.
